Esme Morris and the Invisable Arrow
by Invisi
Summary: Esme Morris is your average girl; or so she thinks. When she receives a letter from Hogwarts, she can hardly believe her luck! But Esme has no idea what she's dealing with. Why are pure- and half-bloods being hit with sleeping curses? Who is behind it all? And what is hidden in the secret garden Esme found on her first day? Join Esme in her first riveting year at Hogwarts... 24/24
1. Chapter 1: A Letter From Hogwarts

_**A/N: This is my second fan-fic on the site, and I really hope you like it! This one will be Harry-Potter based... in fact, if you want to read the original (with fancy text, ect) then PM me on CS, .:Invisi:. But, for now, just sit back and read! And this is set a year after the epilogue of The Deathly Hallows. So without further ado, please enjoy the first book of the **_**Esme Morris ****_series... _****Esme Morris and The Invisible Arrow!**

_**Edit: Forgot the disclaimer! Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, but the plotline and OC's do!**_

**Chapter One**

**A Letter From Hogwarts**

Esme Morris was an unusually skinny eleven-year-old. She had long, blonde hair and hazel eyes, an oval-shaped face and a sunny smile. She wasn't the nicest child you've ever met, but she certainly was clever. Every term her parents received letters, informing them that yet again, their daughter was top of the class. For this reason, Esme was only liked by one person, and that person was Jeremy Fisher.

One sunny day in late August, Esme was walking to the park to meet him. He had gotten there before her; she could see him as she opened the park gates. Jeremy was not large- in fact, he was the smallest kid in their class- but he tended to wear brightly-coloured clothes, so you could always see him coming. He had brown hair and dirt-coloured eyes, not the smartest kid you've ever met. Esme raised her hand in a wave and strode down the gravel path to meet him.

"Hey, Jeremy," she greeted, plonking herself down on the swing beside him, drifting lazily up-and-down. "Back to school next week, eh?" she added cheerily. She and Jeremy would both be attending Avensdale Secondary for the first time in their lives, and Esme was quite looking forwards to it. Jeremy gave a nervous gulp beside her.

"I'm dreading it," he told her. "All those big kids- I'll be trampled on!" He did look terrified, Esme supposed, and smiled at him comfortingly.

"They wont," she told him. "I wont let them!" Jeremy nodded, and they said nothing else on the subject. They sat there a while, chatting occasionally and swinging lazily in the sun. Finally Esme slid off the swing onto the floor.

"Gotta go," she told him. "Same time tomorrow, right?" Jeremy nodded and she made her way back up the path, humming quietly to herself. It was a gloriously sunny day, and as she strolled down the street in her shorts and t-shirt, flip-flops thumping the ground, she began to let her mind wander. Would there be many people at this new school? She hoped not; she could not abide crowds, unless the occupants were particularly interesting. As she thought, she stepped out into the road, not thinking to check before she crossed.

A yell snapped her back into reality; she looked up to see a large truck bearing down on her. She closed her eyes, flinging her arms up to protect herself. She heard a roar, and then nothing. She opened her eyes to find herself back on the pavement, as if nothing had happened. Lowering her arms, she looked both ways before crossing the road and turning the corner.

Sixteen Thornwell Crescent was home to the Morris'; Esme had lived here all her life. It was a spacious, modern house halfway down the street, which was arranged around a circle of grass and wildlife in the middle of the road. Breathing in the welcoming scent of baking bread- for there was a bakers on the corner- Esme let herself into the house and shut the door. Her mother was in the kitchen, baking.

"Hey, baby girl, have a nice time?" she asked, coming out into the hall whilst still whisking what looked like cake mixture. Esme nodded, smiling. Opal Morris was a tall, middle-aged woman with auburn hair and bright green eyes. She had a kind, heart-shaped face and a passion for baking.

"It was great!" she called, walking into the kitchen and getting the icing sugar out of the cupboard to help her mother. She stirred it with water until it was nice and creamy, adding vanilla extract and purple food dye. When she was done, she left it on the side; the cakes had just gone into the oven, and they could relax and talk over the leftover cake mixture.

"Oh, this came for you this morning," her mother added, pushing a letter over to her. Curious- more to the reason why it was on parchment instead on paper than who had sent it- Esme flipped it open and broke the seal. Inside were two pieces of paper; she read the first through eagerly.

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Headmistress: Professor M. McGongall _

_(Order Of Merlin, 1st Class)_

_Dear Miss E Morris,_

_We are pleased to inform you that a place has opened up for you at Hogwarts School. A Governor will be round to see you at 6:01pm today to explain what this means. _

_Please see second sheet for a list of equipment needed._

_Yours faithfully, _

_N Longbottom_

_Assistant Head_

She read it through again several times, her heart pounding. She had gotten a scholarship into a private school? What an honour! "Mum!" she cried. "I've got a scholarship!"

"What?" her mother gasped, grabbing the letter and reading it through. She looked up, her eyes bright with excitement. "Well done, babe! Oh, those cakes'll be ready by now- quick, we'll ice them and serve them to this representative! I can't believe this!"

They decorated the cakes twice as fast as normal, and were just setting the cake stand on the table when there was a knock on the door. Esme rushed to answer it immediately.

Stood on the doorstep was a woman. She wore a business suit, her bushy hair loose around her shoulders. She smiled at Esme encouragingly. "May I come in?"

"Of course!" Esme gasped, and widened the door. The woman came inside, and waited as Esme closed the door before following her to the kitchen. She sat down in the spare seat that the family reserved for guests, and Esme sat in the usual place. The woman smiled at them.

"Hello, Mrs Morris, Esme. I am Hermione Weasly, governor and friend of Hogwarts School. I'm here to explain to you about Hogwarts, and the world beneath your noses.

'You see, Hogwarts is the finest school in the country for our kind. It is a boarding school out in the country, I went there myself and I promise you it is amazing. However, no muggle has ever been inside the school, even if they know of it."

"Muggle?" Mrs Morris asked. "What is a 'muggle'?" Hermione smiled.

"It is our word for non-magical folk. You see, beneath your very noses there is a large group of magical people; we come from all over the world. We happen to have a Ministry- in London- and Hogwarts is one of the finest schools, and the most protected place you will ever come to find. Young witches and wizards have been learning magic there for centuries."

"Magic?" Esme gasped.

"Witches?" Mrs Morris yelped.

Hermione nodded. "You're a witch, Esme."

Esme gaped at her in astonishment. A witch? What-? How-? Hermione chuckled.

"Haven't you ever noticed the strange things that happen to you, Esme?" Esme nodded; now that she thought about it, some strage things had happened; there was today with the truck, for instance, and during her SATS test, somehow her pen had known the answers all by itself...

"If you would like, Esme, I would take you to Diagon Alley- a street full of wizard shops- to get your stuff myself. It can be a little scary your first time there. I have to take my own daughter, Rose, to get some new stuff as well, so it wouldn't be a bother!"

"I don't believe this!" Mrs Morris breathed. "It's amazing! Oh, Esme darling, I'm so proud of you!" Hermione grinned.

"So I'll pick you up on Wednesday morning, Esme?" Esme nodded, still feeling dumbfounded. Hermione gave them a cheery wave, took a cake from the stand, and went on her way. Ten minutes later, the door opened and her father appeared. Nobody had moved.

"What's going on?" thundered Bill Morris happily in the doorway. Esme turned to him, and wondered what on earth she was going to say.

**xXx**

_**A/N: Sooo... that's the first chapter, everyone! Hope you enjoyed it... And if you did, please review! Flames will be used to toast marshmallows. And all the lovely people who will give reviews, nice or constructive, will get Mrs Morris's Cupcakes!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	2. Chapter 2: Diagon Alley

_**A/N: I decided to update again with the second chapter. Since I haven't any reviews, I have nothing much to say other than... enjoy!**_

_**And Harry Potter still refuses to belong to me...**_

**Chapter Two **

**Diagon**** Alley**

Esme woke early on Wednesday morning, staring up at the ceiling. Excitement burned in the pit of her stomach; today she was going shopping with a witch and her family! In a magical street full of magical things! She sat up and slid out of bed, dressing in shorts and a top, for it would surely be another warm day today. She then went downstairs and was halfway through a stack of toast when her mother arrived for breakfast.

"Looking forwards to today?" Mrs Morris asked, and Esme nodded eagerly in reply.

"You bet!"

"Well, don't leave your list, you wouldn't want to forget anything!"

At nine am Hermione arrived. Behind her was an ordinary-looking car, with a ginger-haired man leaning out of the window. Esme scrambled down the garden path and Hermione opened the door for her. "Come on, in, quickly!" she called, and Esme waved one last time to her parents before climbing in and shutting the door. Already in the car were two children; a girl about Esme's age and a boy slightly younger.

"Belted up?" the man in the drivers seat asked, and Esme nodded. The car roared into action, and off they were.

"Esme, this is my husband Ron and our children Hugo and Rose," Hermione called from the front seat. Esme nodded, and turned to look at the two Weasly kids. They were both ginger with freckles, like their father. Esme smiled shyly.

"Hi," she said awkwardly. Hugo grinned at her.

"Hey!" he said, and then produced a wrapper from his pocket and held it out. "Chocolate Frog?" Esme took it and opened the wrapper, and found a frog-shaped chocolate inside.

"Thanks," she said, and put it in her mouth. There was something else in the wrapper too, and she pulled it out. "What's this?" she asked.

"Chocolate Frog Card," Rose told her. "You collect them; they have all the best wizards on them."

Esme turned hers over to see a black-haired man peering at her through spectacles. "Harry Potter," she read. Hugo's eyes widened and he moved to look.

"No way!" he cried. "That ones really rare!" Esme frowned at him; the man in the picture didn't look very special.

"Why is it?" she asked, frowning at it. Then, "Oh!"

"Have you heard of him?" Hugo asked. Esme shook her head.

"No- it just moved!" Hugo rolled his eyes.

"Of course it does, all wizard pictures do!"

Esme thought this very odd, but said nothing. "Why is this one rare?" she asked again.

"He's famous," Rose said. "Like, really famous. Check the back, it has a list of their achievements." Esme did, and read them aloud.

"Only known survivor of the Avada Kedavra curse... Saved the philosophers stone... Destroyed six horcruxes with the help of others... Was a horcrux himself... Defeated Lord Voldemort." She frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"The first one means he survived a killing curse; no-one survives that," Rose told her. "He saved a stone that could have brought Voldemort back sooner. Horcruxes are really dark magic, it takes a lot of work to destroy them. And Voldemort was the most powerful Wizard in the country. He was also evil... I've got him on a Chocolate Frog Card."

"So he's pretty famous, then?" Esme asked as she watched the litte man walk around. Hugo nodded.

"He's our uncle, isn't he, Dad?" he asked. Ron confirmed this with a grunt. Hugo beamed at her. "See! Our parents are on Chocolate Frog Cards, too! You should start collecting, you've already got one."

They spend the rest of the journey talking about magic stuff, and eating chocolate frogs. Finally, the car pulled up at the end of a busy street. "Come on," Ron called, "Just up here, not far now!"

They set off up the street and into a small pub called The Leaky Cauldron. It was full of wizards and witches, but nobody paid them any attention, and Esme was grateful for it. Hermione pressed a brick on the far wall, and it sprung open, revealing a bustling alleyway.

"Oh, wow..." Esme breathed. Black-clad witches and wizards hurried about their business, stopping to say hi or look in the many shop windows. There was a large crowd outside one shop, and Esme glanced over in curiosity. "What shop's that?' she asked Rose.

"Oh, it's Weasly's Wizarding Wheezes. Best joke shop ever, its run by our other uncle- we've got a load of Uncles. He and his twin set it up, but his twin's dead now. They sell loads of stuff, from sweets that make you ill so you can get off lessons to love potions!" She turned to her mother. "Mum, can we go see Uncle George?"

"No!" Hermione snapped. Then she hesitated. "Okay, but not now. We need to go get your robes, books and Esme's wand." Rose let out a sigh, but her eyes were bright.

The five of them first went to a shop where it sold school uniform- but the uniform was unlike any Esme had ever seen. Long robes and pointy black hats, just like the fairy stories. She and Rose were fitted whilst Hugo stood watching jealously, deprived of going to Hogwarts for another year yet.

Then they went to Flourish and Blotts, to collect some books, and an apothocary's shop for potion ingredients. Only then did Hermione lead them in a beeline for Ollivander's, which Rose had told Esme was the best wand shop around.

The shop was empty; the only thing that Esme could see when the door closed behind her were boxes and stacks of wands, a chair and the salesdesk. From behind the desk an old man appeared, smiling at them.

"Yes? Who requires a wand today?" he asked. Esme stepped forward, quivering slightly.

"I do," she said. The man nodded, and went searching through the stacks of boxes. He pulled out a box and opened it; in there was a dark wooden wand, so dark it was almost black.

"Mahogany and Phoenix Feather, nine and a half inches. Go on dear, try it out." Esme took it and frowned at it worriedly. The wandmaker nodded. "That's it, dear, just wave it around."

Esme waved it, but as she did it felt unnatural and the wandmaker took it back. "No, no, that will never do. Maybe... aha!" He rummaged around in a pile of boxes before drawing out another and handing her another wand. "Sixteen inches, pine and unicorn hair. Give it a go."

Again Esme waved it; again it was snatched back. She went through this with several more wands ("Oak and phoenix feather"; "Ash and dragon heartstring"; "Beech and phoenix feather") but still no wand suited her. The wand-maker was frowning. "Well I never! Why don't you look around, dear, see if any wand calls to you."

Esme made her way through the piles and around stacks, exploring the shelves. Many open boxes and fine wands caught her eye, but she knew it would never do. As if something was calling her, she moved deeper into the shop, not knowing where she was going but knowing how to get there. The wand-maker followed her anxiously, as finally she stopped beside a glass case. Three wands lay in there; one almost black, one a golden colour, and the other silvery-white. She found herself opening it, and drew the silver wand from its stand. She waved it in the air, and silver sparks burst from the tip.

She heard clapping, and turned to see the wand-maker smiling at her. "Well I never! Those three wands have been in this shop nine centuries; never suited anybody. That one is silver birch and unicorn hair, a very pure mixture!"

They made their way back to the front of the shop, Esme grinning and clutching her wand in her hand. Hermione got out her purse, but the wand-maker shook his head. "No, Mrs Weasly, please. It's family policy that if any wand is over five centuries old then it be of no price, and that wand is, if I'm not mistaken, nine-hundred and sixty-eight years old. Have a good day now!"

The four of them retreated into the busy street, and Hermione was smiling. "Well I never, what an unusual wand! So pretty, too. So, now that we've got everything, I assume you still want to go to the joke shop?"

"Yes please!" Rose cried, as Esme put her wand away.

"Weasly's Wizarding Wheezes it is, then," Ron said with a sigh.

**xXx**

**_A/N: Well, that was Chapter Two! In the next chapter we meet George... older, but he's still a kid at heart. And Esme acquires an interesting plot point... interesting indeed. So... please review; those who do get one of Mrs Morris's cupcakes. Flames will be used to toast marshmallows. Bah-bye!_**

**_-Invisi_**


	3. Chapter 3: Every Trick Known To Man

**_A/N: Yup, it's me again! So, this is chapter three... it's not the best chapter, not by a long shot, but it does have some important parts in it. I'll probably upload chapter four straight after this. Also, if you want to read the original, unedited version, you can find it on CS. My username is .:Invisi:. _**

**_And Mrs Morris's cupcakes go to sabrina-luna-potter; thanks for your review! _**

**Chapter Three**

**Every Trick Known To Man**

Esme followed Rose through the jostling crowd into the space inside Weasly's Wizarding Wheezes, which was full of eager kids and flustered parents. Stood on some spiral stairs in the centre of the room that lead to the upper floor was a tall, ginger-haired man with a cheeky grin. "Uncle George!" Rose bellowed, and he looked down on them, his eyes lighting up.

"Rose! Why, if it isn't my favourite niece! Come up, come up, do you want to see our new second floor?"

Esme followed Rose up the stairs; Hugo and their parents soon followed. They found themselves up on the stairs, where it was a lot less crowded.

"This part of the store doesn't open 'til Friday, but it's still ope to you guys, since you're my family," George was saying. "Ron! Hermione! How lovely to see you; having a nice day?" Before they could reply, George had turned to Hugo. "Hey, Hugo! Still dying to get into Hogwarts?"

"You bet!" Hugo cried, eating a chocolate frog. George laughed and ruffled his hair, before turning to Esme.

"Hello! Who are you, my dear? Friend of yours, Rosie?"

"Sort-of," Hermione said. "This is Esme, a new student. She's muggle-born, so I offered to bring her shopping with me." George's eyes lit up.

"Oh, wonderful to meet you! Now, prepare to have your mind blown!" He beckoned them up to the floor above, which was circular like the rest of the shop, except with a circle in the middle for you too peer over at the rest of the shop. Esme gazed around. It looked sort of like a toy shop, with shelves lining the walls and large cardboard boxes stuffed to the brim. George glanced around, before several items off the shelves.

"These are our newest inventions- Invisibility Powder, Freak-out Crystal Fortunes, and we're also selling polyjuice potion."

"Polyjuice potion!" cried Hermione, exasperated. "Y'know, I've had the limit with you! You can't sell Polyjuice potion, d'you hear?"

"I hear," said George, "But I don't care. Anyway, its just an experiment; get your enemy into trouble and escape punishment! And the Freak-out Fortunes are trick crystal balls that you program to show whatever you want; it really freaks some people out. And Invisibility Powder- well, lets just say I got the idea from Harry's cloak."

Esme was looking around in awe. The white invisibility powder was stored in vials, as was the Polyjuice potion. She took a vial of each, and looked to see something else at the back of the shelf. "What's this?" she asked, holding it up. It was another small vial, a sort of shimmering golden colour, very pretty. George, however, paled when he saw it.

"How did that get there? It's still a working progress; let's you see what's invisible. I haven't discovered a antidote yet; Anna's still in St Mungo's because the things she saw drove her mad." Esme pursed her lips curiously.

"Can I have it?" she asked. George nodded and sighed.

"I don't see why not, and I'll send you some antidote when I find it. Anything else take your fancy?"

After twenty minutes of exploring, each of the children had heaving bags full of tricks and such. On the way back, they chatted and laughed, and Rose told Esme all about Hogwarts and the lessons and the houses.

"See you on Monday!" Rose called as they pulled up outside Esme's house. Esme grabbed her stuff and waved to them as the car drove away, before letting herself into the house.

"Mum?" she cried, "Mum, I'm home!"

**xXx**

_**A/N: That was chapter three, folks! Or rather, folk, unless somebody else is reading this. And if you are, review!**_

_**And I forgot the disclaimer! Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, but OC's and the plotline DO!**_


	4. Chapter 4: The Hogwarts Express

**_A/N: Me again! Yeah, I love this story too much... Also, if you'd like teasers for later chapters, DON'T be afraid to ask! _**

**_Oh, and Harry Potter doesn't belong to me (unfortunately). _**

**Chapter Four**

**The Hogwarts Express**

Monday dawned, and Esme woke bright and early. She got up and dressed, trying not to shriek with excitement. Today she would be leaving for Hogwarts! Every time the thought crossed her mind she couldn't help grinning. She had done most of her paking over the weekend, and she only had a couple more things to fit into her trunk. She looked at her bedside table, and smiled sadly at the picture of herself and Jeremy earlier in the summer.

She hadn't spoken to Jeremy since Friday, when she had told him all about Hogwarts and shopping and her wand. Jeremy had stared at her in horror as she had pronounced, "Isn't it great! I'm off on Monday!"

"It isn't great," he had told her, "Esme, you can't go! I can't go to school without you!" Then he had ran off, leaving Esme staring after him. Now she packed the photo in her trunk and dragged it down to the hall. She then grabbed the telephone off its receiver, and dialled Jeremy's number. He would be starting school, too, and she had to speak to him.

"Hello?" called a pleasant female voice down the phone. "Who is this?"

"Mrs Fisher? It's me, Esme."

"Esme, dear! Do you want to speak to Jeremy? Here, hang on, I'll put him on." There was a moment's silence, and then Jeremy's tired voice down the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, Jeremy," Esme greeted, her heart pounding. To her relief, Jeremy sounded happily surprised as he spoke.

"Esme! Sorry for being so harsh on you the other day, I shouldn't have run off like that. Anyway, I've found a new friend! The Polnied's, they just moved in up the road, and I'm friends with the two oldest kids- they're twins, and they're going to Avensdale too!"

"That's great!" Esme told him. "I've gotta go to the train station in ten minutes, but I thought I'd call you to say goodbye."

"I'd forgotten you'd be away until Christmas," Jeremy said with an unhappy sigh. "You will write to me, wont you?"

"Of course!" Esme cried. "I promise, at least once a week, sometimes more!" She paused; her mother was calling her from the kitchen. "I gotta go, Jeremy. Good luck, yeah?"

"Yeah," Jeremy said, his voice sad but hopeful at once. "Good luck, Esme. Bye!" And then he hung up.

Esme clattered into the kitchen and poured herself a small bowl of cereal. Her father had already left for work, so it would be just her and her mother going to the station. When she was done, she pulled on her cloak and they got into the car. Esme sat in the backseat surrounded by all her stuff, gazing out of the window at her hometown for the last time. Then they were away, on the road for King's Cross.

They arrived there at half past ten, an hour before the departure of the Hogwarts Express. Esme spotted Hermione at once, and struggled over to meet her. Her waved, yelling, "Hermione! Rose! Wait up!"

She reached them at last, panting with the weight of her trunk. Her mother followed, and shook Hermione's hand. "Nice to see you again, Mrs Weasly. I assume you know where this platform nine and three-quaters is? I have no clue!"

Hermione nodded. "But muggles can't pass the barrier, Mrs Morris, I'm sorry. I guess you'll have to say your goodbyes now."

Esme turned to her mother and flung her arms around her neck, burying her face in her shoulder. "I'll miss you," she cried.

"I'll miss you too," Mrs Morris breathed, and released her daughter from the embrace. Rose grabbed Esme's hand.

"Come on, we'll do it now!" And together, the two ran at the wall. Esme turned slightly, caught one last glimpse of her waving mother, before they passed through the barrier. A sign above their hears read Platform 9&3/4, and all around them, wizard children were saying goodbye to their parents. Rose turned to hug her mother, and then gave a cry of delight. "Uncle Harry!"

Esme followed her gaze and saw the man off her chocolate frog card. He waved at them, and came over; behind him was a ginger-haired woman, who Esme guessed was his wife and Ron's sister, and a small girl about Hugo's age, who had dark ginger hair.

"Hey, Rosie," Harry greeted. "Hermione, nice to see you!" He checked his watch. "Oughtn't you two be on the train? It leaves in five minutes."

"Right!" Rose agreed, and grabbed Esme's hand, pulling her onto the train with only a wave to the three adults on the platform. Then Esme was onboard, and had lost sight of the man on her Chocolate Frog Card.

"Come on, Albus and James will be this way," Rose told her, and Esme was shoved into a compartment. On one side of the seat sat two similar-looking boys, both of whom had black hair like the man on the platform.

"Esme, these are my cousins, Albus and James Potter," Rose introduced. "Albus, James, this is my friend Esme. She's new." Esme sat down at the seat nearest the door, opposite Albus. The young boy looked shy, dipping his head to her. James, however, was glaring at her in obvious contempt. Esme shot him an icy glare; she didn't like him much either.

Before any of them could say anything, the train began to move forwards, the engines waking up. The movement and noise made Esme jump; she'd never seen a train like this before, let alone bin on one.

"So who're your parents?" James asked Esme crudely. Before Esme could reply, Rose intervened.

"She's muggle-born- Mum and Dad took her shopping with us on Wednesday, since she had no-one else to go with."

"Filthy mudblood," James muttered, and turned to look out of the window.

"James!" Rose scolded her older cousin, but he didn't answer. Rose scowled and turned to Esme. "He didn't mean it- and Mudblood's an extremely offensive term for a muggle-born."

After an hour or two, a witch came round with a food trolley. Rose bought them all some Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes and some of Bertie Bott's All-Flavour Jellybeans to share. Esme tried one of the beans curiously, only to spit it out again immediately. "Was that rotten egg?" she cried, and the others fell about laughing, except for James, who looked smug.

As it neared dusk, a small, blonde-haired witch appeared at the doorway. "We're almost there, Rose, you'd better get changed!" she called.

"Alright, thanks Missy!" Rose called, and the blonde witch scurried away. The four of them changed into their robes and Esme put on her hat before Rose whipped it off. "Don't bother, you'll only have to take it off again. Come on, and bring your wand- there's a pocket inside your robes. Your stuff will be taken up to the castle for you."

They had arrived, and Esme looked around Hogsmeade station in awe. Hugo had told her about Hogsmeade; a whole village full of witches and wizards, no muggles in sight. She gaped around the station, before she heard someone shouting.

"Firs' years! Firs' year to me!" She struggled towards the speaker, a large man with unruly black hair and a matching beard. Around him were a group of student her own age, and she stood with them nervously. Finally, when the station was almost deserted, the man turned to them. "Come on then, up yer come. I'm Hagrid, an' I'll be teachin' yer Care o' Magical Creatures in yer third year. Up yer come, hurry now, into the boats."

Esme followed him and the other first years into some wooden boats, that began to row themselves across the lake. Esme looked up, and gasped. There, standing above her, was a castle. It had loads of towers, turrets and other twisty things. And they were rowing towards it!

"That'd be Hogwarts, that would," Hagrid yelled above the gasps and whispers. The boats landed, and he beckoned them onto the shore. They got out of the bats, still feeling a little dizzy, and let this giant of a man lead them out of the boats and up a steep path to the school.

The door was open, and a round, nervous-looking man was waiting there for them. "Thank you, Hagrid," he called. "I'll take them from here; oh dear, you're quite late!"

And so Esme and the other first-years took their first steps into Hogwarts, following this pale, worried-looking man. And still, for Esme, it was the most magical step she had ever taken in her life.

**xXx**

_**A/N: I've gotta go have a bath now, I'll edit this for mistakes when I get back. So, until next time, read, review and enjoy!**_

_**Edit: Just went through and fixed it. Hope you liked! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go write chapter sixteen :p**_

_**-Invisi**_


	5. Chapter 5: The Sorting Hat

**_A/N: Okay, so I've FINALLY finished writing the whole of the first book. So I'll probably upload quicker than most authors on here. So, here is Chapter Five._**

**_Harry Potter does not belong to me, however much I dream. _**

**Chapter Five**

**The Sorting Hat**

Esme followed the other first-years into a large hall. A loud chatter echoed around; the other students were already here. She was towards the beginning of the line; on one side was a large, round boy with ginger hair, on the other was a ravenette with an impossibly white face. The chattering died down and Esme caught sight of Rose, Albus and James. Rose waved and gave a comforting smile. "Gryffindor," she mouthed, giving her the thumbs up. Esme gave a nervous nod, and turned back to the front.

Sat on a chair was an old, scruffy witches' hat. The whole school watched it in silence, when suddenly the hat opened its mouth- why did it have a mouth, Esme wondered?- and began to sing.

_"Welcome to Hogwarts my friends_  
_In this dreary old place_  
_Well, we must make amends!_  
_For all will have a friendly face_

_I am the sorting hat you see;_  
_My job is to sort_  
_Why, no-one else but me_  
_Can put you in the house in which you will find yourself caught_

_Maybe you will be Gryffindor_  
_Who are less than unafraid;_  
_In this house they will fight with tooth and claw_  
_Until justice is made_

_Then there is Slytherin_  
_Lest we forget_  
_These wizards have the blackest hearts within_  
_Such a house I have never met!_

_And then there's Ravenclaw, you see_  
_Where brains are more then brawn _  
_Maybe this is the place to be_  
_The house to which you were born? _

_And finally the house of Hufflepuff_  
_Come one, come all!_  
_They say willingness to learn is enough_  
_To you friendship does call_

_Now I am the sorting-hat_  
_And I will see_  
_I have never wrongly placed bird, dog, or cat_  
_So which house will you be?_

_Let the sorting begin!"_

The hat feel silent and a cheer rose from the assembled students; even Esme found herself clapping. When the room was quiet, the hat called out again.

"Adamshaw, Leslie."

A small, blonde girl stepped forwards and sat on the chair, placing the hat on her head eagerly. The assembled held their breaths, waiting a moment or two.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat roared, and a cheer rose from the table where Rose and her cousins were sat. Leslie got up and went to sit with them. The room fell silent, and the hat called out a name. "Avens, Brian." A skinny boy with brown hair stepped forward, and was sent to Hufflepuff, at which he looked quite glad.

The hat carried on calling names, and Esme tuned out and thought. Rose obviously seemed sure she would be in Gryffindor, but what if she was in Slytherin? Looking at the table "Draclus, Ned," had just been sent to, she shivered. They didn't look very friendly. Suddenly, the hat broke into her thoughts.

"Morris, Esme."

She stepped forwards, blinking nervously, and glanced back to look at Rose. The redhead smiled and made a shooing motion with her hands. "Go on," she mouthed. Esme gulped and sat on the chair, piking up the hat and holding it just above her head.

"Please Gryffindor, not Slyterin," she breathed, almost inaudibly, and dropped the hat onto her head. No sooner had it touched her head did it scream its answer.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Esme's heart dropped. She took off the hat and made her way to the cheering table, glancing back at Rose over her shoulder. She shrugged apologetically and gave a comforting smile. Esme slid into her seat, feeling numb. The rest of the Sorting passed in a sort of blur, and she didn't know whether to be pleased or disappointed. Sure, she hadn't gotten into Gryffindor, but Ravenclaw wasn't Slytherin, right?

Finally, the Sorting was over and a stern-looking woman with grey hair scraped into a bun stood before the hall. The students fell silent, and she beamed at them.

"Welcome back, welcome back! It's another new year here at Hogwarts, another fresh start. To our newer students, our beloved first-years, we hope you find the next seven years both enjoyable and knowledgable. Allow me to introduce myself to you; I am Professor McGonagall, your headmistress and transfiguration teacher. Please also be aware that the forest in the grounds is off-limits to a student unless accompanied by a teacher, Professor Hagrid or his dog Fang. Also, on that note, Fang is not to be stolen from Hagrid's hut!" she glared sternly around the hall. "But for now, welcome back, and enjoy the feast!"

Esme turned back to the centre of the table, wondering what she meant, and found, to her surprise, plates of food had appeared in the centre, and plates and cutlery in front of every student. The others were now helping themselves, and Esme followed their example. She was halfway through a slice of chicken breast when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder, and turned to see a girl around her age and height. She had pale brown hair and dark blue eyes that shimmered in the candlelight.

"I'm Grace Holland," the girl said, holding out a hand. "And you are?"

"Esme Morris," Esme replied, and shook it. The two girls exchanged a look, and both knew right then and there that they would be firm friends.

"Are your parents wizards?" Esme asked, and Grace nodded.

"Yeah. Well, my Mum is, anyhow. I never knew my Dad." She smiled sadly. "But it doesn't really matter. What about you?"

"No, my parents are muggles," Esme replied. Grace nodded.

"Thought so. There are no wizards with the last name 'Morris'. I've been looking through ministry logs; that's where my sister works, you see."

Esme nodded, and swallowed the last piece of chicken before reaching out to help herself to a large helping of roast potatoes, dumplings and peas. By the time the food plates vanished and were replaced with trays of exquisite puddings, both girls were stuffed, but continued to eat the cakes and trifles all the same.

"Who makes this food?" Grace gushed. "It's amazing. I've never tasted anything like it!" Then she yawned and rubbed her eyes; around them, the other first-years were doing the same. A boy stood up; he had thin brown hair and a badge saying prefect pinned to his robes.

"First-years, follow me!" he called, and they stood up and trailed after him. He led them up so many staircases, and though Esme tried she was sure she'd never remember her way; there were so many bends and corridors and hidden passages that they began to blur in her mind. Finally they reached a door, and before it a statue of a phoenix. Out of the birds beak came not a squawk, but instead a bird-like voice.

"What did Salazar Slytherin create when he left Hogwarts, which was then opened by two others? Who were the ones who opened it?" the statue breathed. The prefect answered immediately.

"He created the Chamber of Secrets; Slytherin, Voldemort and Ginny Weasly opened it."

"Correct," the bird breathed, and the wall slid open to reveal some stairs. They climbed them, yawning,up to a round room decked out in purple.

"This is the common room," the prefect announced in a bored voice. "Up the left stairs are the boys' dormitories; up the right are the girls'."

Then he went and climbed the left stairs. "Come on," Esme yawned, and pulled a half-asleep Grace upstairs. The girls slept in rooms with five beds in each, and there was only one with any empty beds once they had arrived. Esme shoved Grace onto the closest empty bed, and then took the one beside it, which was closest to the window. She understood why; it was coldest in this corner. Still, she undressed and climbed under the covers, before loosening the ties and letting the curtains fall closed. Only one slit remained open, and she gazed out through it, out of the window and at the Gryffindor tower. Now she was glad of where the hat had put her; there was nowhere she'd rather be. And with that thought in mind, she drifted into sleep.


	6. Chapter 6: Defence Against the Dark Arts

**_A/N: Well, you'll be glad to know I'm uploading TWO chapters today. Thanks again, sabrina-luna-potter for your review! And, in reply, no he is not prejudiced; he's just arrogant and doesn't like Esme... for reasons that will be revealed in book three! In reality, he has nothing against Mudbloods... but considering his last girlfriend (who just dumped him) was one, then he's got a little right to say that, I suppose. _**

**_Yeah, I'm rambling, aren't I? On with the story, then._**

**Chapter Six**

**Defence Against the Dark Arts**

Tuesday dawned and once again, Esme woke early. She rolled the events of the previous day over in her mind, heart pounding. She couldn't believe it! She was actually at Hogwarts. _Hogwarts!_

She got out of bed and dressed, and was brushing her long hair absently when Grace awoke. She smiled, and Grace slid out of bed onto the floor.

"It's our first day today," she said with a grin. "What have we got first?"

"Defence Against the Dark Arts," Esme read from the timetable that lay on top of her trunk. "Then Herbology."

"Great," said Grace, quickly getting changed. "Come on, I'm starving. Where can we get some breakfast?"

"In the Great Hall, duh," came a voice from the other end of the room. On the bed nearest the door sat a sour-faced ravenette with baby-blue eyes. "I'm Janice Thorpe," she added with a scowl. "Don't talk to me if you know what's good for you."

"Don't be mean, Jan," came a second, softer voice, and a girl opened the curtains of the bed next to Janice's. They looked exactly the same, and Esme guessed they must be twins. "I'm Janie Thorpe, talk to me whenever you like."

Esme nodded. "Do you know the way to the great hall?" Janie nodded.

"I have an excellent memory," she pronounced, and led the others into the common room.

"Wait for me!" called a voice, and a plump, red-faced blonde raced from the room after them. Esme realised this must have been the occupant of the third bed, and waved. "I'm Emmeline Evans!" she gasped.

"Hi," Janie greeted. "Come on," she added, opening the wall, "The Great Hall is this way, I think."

Despite getting lost once (in which case Janice grew angry and Emmeline burst into tears) they arrived at the great hall in ten minutes. Students were sat there, chatting over breakfast and reading books. The five girls sat down at the Ravenclaw table, Janice positively gloomy but everyone else in a fair mood. They made small-talk, about their families, and what they were most looking forward to, and Esme guessed that was as friendly as they were going to get.

"I'm quite looking forward to charms," Grace said. "That's where you learn all sorts of clever spells, isn't it?" Janie nodded.

"Janice and I want to do transfiguration. It's really hard, but imagine trying to change one thing into another! Marvellous! What about you, Emmeline?" she added eagerly.

"History of Magic and Herbology seem really interesting," Emmeline said in a quiet voice, looking up from a small paperback she had brought with her.

"What about you, Esme?" Janie asked. Esme frowned.

"I don't really know," she said, "But we've got Defence Against the Dark Arts first, haven't we?"

Janice snorted. "It's taught by Professor Oswald. She's supposed to be a loony. And super-strict."

When they arrived at their first lesson, Esme discovered what Janice had meant. Professor Oswald was young; she must've been the youngest teacher there. She had white-blonde hair in unruly waves around a pale, round face, and dark, beady eyes. She stood in front of the class, tapping her foot.

"My name," she announced in a cool, clear manner, "Is Professor Oswald. I am here to teach you Defence Against the Dark Arts. So get up. Normally, with my other classes, we start with deskwork; but since you are Ravenclaw, you are smarter then the others, and so I know you wont do anything rash. Today you will practise the disarming spell. Ready, repeat after me: Expelliamus!"

"Expelliarmus!" they chorused. Oswald nodded.

"Good. Pair up, and practice that spell."

Esme glanced over at Grace, who nodded. They stood opposite each other, five steps between them, and each drew their wands from the pockets in their cloaks. Grace's was thin and smooth, with ridges towards the bottom. It was a very light brown in colour, and Esme found herself admiring it until she heard her friend's gasp.

"Your wand... It's beautiful!" Esme looked down and smiled. It was; the silver wood was shining, more now than ever.

"Expelliarmus!" she yelled, and the wand flew out of Grace's hand. She smiled as Grace caught it before it flew out of the window.

"Expelliarmus!" Grace yelled, but nothing happened. She tried three more tries before the wand in Esme's hand clattered to the floor. Esme picked it up, just as Professor Oswald clapped her hands.

"All right, Class, that's enough! Sit down, sit down." The class rushed to their seats, still grinning. "Now, it is only fair you do some desk work; turn to page eighteen and read it through, then write a page on disarming theory and the Expelliarmus charm."

Esme found herself enjoying the work; somehow she had managed to bewitch her quill to write as she thought. It took fifteen minutes to write the page, before she handed it into Professor Oswald.

"Good, you may go," the Professor called. "There is ten minutes left of the lesson; do with it what you will please." She flicked her wand, and Esme found herself flung into the corridor, her bag and wand in her arms and the door slamming shut before her.

**xXx**

_**A/N: No, before you ask, Emmeline is NOT related to Lily Potter. Just thought I should point that out... Anyway, tell me what you think; there's a new chapter coming up in a minute, so keep an eye out for it!**_


	7. Chapter 7: The Empty Garden

_**A/N: As promised, the second upload of the day. Enjoy!**_

**Chapter Seven**

**The Empty Garden**

The corridors were empty. Esme tried the handle of the classroom, but it refused to budge. She replaced her wand in her pocket and slung the bag over her shoulder, gazing around the corridor. She decided to make her way to Herbology, which Janice had said were in the Greenhouses.

She made her way out of the nearest entrance, which was open for some strange reason. Had somebody just come out this way? She climbed down the steps to find herself in a square garden surrounded by walls. She turned back to the door, but it had vanished; in fact, the whole school had! Now there was just a wall, same as the one that surrounded the garden.

Trying not to panic, she turned to see a small podium she hadn't noticed before. Maybe it hadn't been there at all? Without pausing to think about it, she climbed down the remaining steps and made her way over to it. In the centre was a tarnished crown, snapped in two. On the bottom it read "_Wit Beyond Measure is Man's Greatest Treasure_." She knew from Rose that this was the slogan of Ravenclaw, and reached out to take it and examine it properly. As she did so, however, a shiver shot up her spine, and she drew her hand back. Something told her now was not the time to take this.

Instead, she walked past the podium to the wall on the other side of the garden. Looking out over the hills, it seemed she was in a garden on a clifftop in the middle of nowhere. As she was mulling over this, a loud toll- like a bell ringing for church- startled her. She turned back to see the school had reappeared, and the podium vanished. The door was half-open and she hurried through, meeting her friends outside the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Grace high-fived her.

"I can't believe you got chucked out! Come on, herbology's this way." She led Esme down the corridor to the door, which was still half-open.

"I'm not sure this is the right way..." Esme began uneasily, but as Grace opened the door she trailed off. The greenhouses stood there, clear as day, as if they'd always been there.

"Come on!" Grace called; she was already halfway down the steps. Esme shook her head and followed, but unease was beggining to consume her.

What had happened to the garden?

**xXx**

_**A/N: Sorry it's so short... but this is important! In fact, my original idea for a title was 'Esme Morris and the Secret Garden'. So, once more; review and tell me what your thought!**_

_**Until next time, **_

_**-Invisi**_


	8. Chapter 8: The First Disaster

**_A/N: Hola! Thanks to LeannaDrobisforever; have some food from the Hogwart's kitchens. Don't worry, the House-Elves don't mind at all!_**

**_And yes, James IS quite mean! And as for romance... Esme's love intrest may not appear until book seven (the last book), so sorry! But as for Grace, she should get into a relationship around book four, or something like that. _**

**_Harry Potter will never belong to me. _**

**_Now on with the chapter!_**

**Chapter Eight**

**The First****Disaster**

The air inside the greenhouses was warm to stay the least. It was positively stifling as the Ravenclaws filed in, and stood around a table facing a tall man with brown hair, a wide face and several scars on his arms, neck and face.

"Hello, class, I am Professor Longbottom," he introduced himself. "Today we have a lesson on simple plants and what they are used for, as well as a small introduction to a commonly mistaken plant. So," he paused, "Who can tell me what shop you can find many plants in?"

Most of the classes' hands shot into the air, Esme's included. Professor Longbottom nodded at her.

"Yes, go on. Oh, and tell me your name as well!"

"Esme, Professor," Esme said. "Please, it's an Apothocary's shop."

"Correct!" Professor Longbottom beamed. "Most of the plants you study in herbology you will also need for potions, so listen closely. As well as edible foods, we also grow poisons, like these." He held up two purple berries. "These are Dark Lord's Poison, named because they were used by Lord Voldemort to poison enemies when he first started out, years ago now. And these," he held up three, identical-looking berries, "Are Angel's Flower, the antidote to the poison and a nice garnish to cakes, tarts and such. Now, can anybody tell me how you tell the difference?"

Nobody raised their hand. Professor Longbottom nodded.

"The answer is that when Dark Lord's Poison grows in the wild, the berries are grouped together in sets of two and the flowers are pure white. Angel's Flower, however, grows in groups of three and the blossoms are pale pink. To make a mistake like this in herbology- and later, in Potions and cooking- may cost you your lives."

Suddenly, there was a crash and a strange creature (with gnarled greenish-brown skin, large, bat-like ears and large green eyes) burst into the greenhouse, smashing the glass wall. "That's a house-elf," Grace breathed into Esme's ear, who had no idea what the creature was.

"Master Longbottom, sir!" the elf gasped. "Nodby bring terrible news from Mistress McGonagall, terrible news!"

"What is it?" asked Professor Longbottom. "Tell me!"

"Disaster has struck! A boy, a boy in the gardens! Dead, or maybe sleeping, Mistress does not know..." the house-elf cowered away in fright.

"Right," Professor Longbottom yelled, "You lot, follow me and don't interrupt or ask questions!" Esme scurried after the others, and Grace was looking frightened.

"Someone's died?" she asked in terror. "Oh no, how awful!"

They rounded the corner to where McGonagall and Hagrid were bent over a still, white figure. It was still, with shorn ginger hair and a wound in its neck.

"We still have no identification for him," McGonagall was telling Professor Longbottom. "We need to get him inside, find out who he is and contact the boy's parents."

Esme gave a cry and rushed forwards. "That's not a boy!" she cried. "It's Rose! Rose Weasely!"

Professor Longbottom's head snapped up, his eyes piercing her. "You're sure?" he asked, his voice trembling. Esme nodded.

"Positive."

"Okay, Esme, run to History of Magic on the third floor, where her cousin is," he told her. "Then go to divination in the tower, that is where her other cousin will be. Send them to the hospital wing. Go now, immediately."

Esme nodded and took off at a run, through the doors of the castle and up the stairs to the third floor. She burst into the History of Magic classroom, where an entertained class was watching a blonde woman argue with a ghost.

"Please," she cried breathlessly, "It's urgent. Albus Potter, you're to go straight to the hospital wing, Professor Longbottom's orders."

"What?" Albus cried, "Why?"

"It's Rose," Esme told him. "Just go!" Then she turned on the heel and raced up the stairs to the very top of the castle, and tapped on the hatch to the divination room. It opened and a ladder crashed to the floor; she climbed up to find the class already waiting for her.

"James Potter?" she cried. "You're to come with me to the Hospital Wing."

"Why?" James asked rudely, though his face lit up at the chance to get out of lesson.

"It's your cousin, Rose," she told him, and the light died. He clambered down after her, and together they ran through the halls, Esme following him after a while. Albus was already there, as were the three teachers, and Rose lying pale and still on the bed.

"Rosie?" James asked, sitting on the bed and taking his cousin's limp hand. "Rosie, wake up."

"She wont awake," McGonagall told him gently. James turned to her, looking angry and upset at the same time.

"You mean she's dead?" he cried angrily. McGonagall shook her head.

"She's been hit by a strong sleeping charm. None of our spells will reverse it; we've already tried."

Tears were falling down Albus's cheeks, and still James seemed angry. "How could you let this happen? I thought Hogwarts was supposed to be the safest place in the world!"

"It was," Professor Longbottom said. "Until today. We don't know who has done this to your cousin, or why," he paused, his face darkening, "But we will find out who, and make sure they never wake up."

"And until then?" Esme asked quietly. The others started; they seemed to have forgotten she was there. "What will happen to the rest of us?"

"I fear this is only the beginning," McGonagall said softly, her voice cracking, "The first disaster. Worse things are to befall our school!"

The room lapsed into silence, all of them watching Rose intently. James was still stroking her hand with his finger.

"Rosie?" he whispered. "Please wake up. We need you..."

**xXx**

_**A/N: Mwahahahahah! The first disaster strikes! And see, James Potter isn't evil to everybody. Just Esme. **_

_**This is where the plot finally picks up, though the culprit isn't found for a few more chapters. Actually, send me your guesses in a review... you'll never guess it, tee-hee!**_

_**Anyway, until next time, please review!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	9. Chapter 9: Rosie

**_A/N: Hi again! Thanks to my lovely fans sabrina-luna-potter and LeannaDrobisforever for reviewing!_**

**_It's never gonna belong to me, guys._**

**Chapter Nine**

**Rosie**

Esme returned to dinner feeling awful. Grace, Emmeline and Janie were waiting for her worriedly (Janice was nowhere to be seen). As she sat down, her eyes flitted over the dishes in front of her, and the sick feeling in her stomach worsened. Her first friend at Hogwarts was in a deep sleep. She would probably never awake from it.

"Are you okay?" Grace asked. Esme shook her head, and Grace looked concerned. "I know she was your friend and all, Esme, but you can't spend the rest of term hanging around the hospital wing. Plus, she was a Gryffindor!"

This last comment made Esme start; anger began to mix with the sickness, guilt and worry in her belly. "Who cares what house she's in?" she yelled angrily. "My friend is dying and you expect me to cheer up? Expect me to act like this is all one big game? I thought you were smarter then that, Grace. I thought you were my friend!"

"I am, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Grace cried, grabbing at her arm. Esme threw it off and stood up. "Esme, wait!" Grace yelled, but Esme wasn't listening. She raced out of the great hall, into the girl's bathroom and flung open a cubical.

Without warning, she threw up.

Somehow, Esme managed to get through the rest of her lessons that day- potions with Professor Sting (a squat, stout old man with withering grey hair and limp moustache) and Charms with Professor Flitwick (a small man with graying hair). She managed to get through the rest of the weeks lessons this way too; by listening hard, concentrating on work and not allowing her mind to wander. At night she did her homework before going to bed; her brain, exhausted with tension, allowed her sleep easily. She didn't speak to Grace at all, instead remaining in stony silence. Sometimes in the early morning she would creep into the hospital wing and watch over Rose until the sun rose; when it did, she would silently slip away.

It wasn't until the Monday of their second week, in Defence Against the Dark Arts, did Esme finally talk to Grace again.

"I am sorry, Esme," Grace whispered to her across their desks. "You do get that, right? I didn't realise..." Her voice trailed off, but Esme didn't push her further.

"It's alright," she hissed back with a weak smile. And just like that, the two were friends again.

Life being friends with Grace was much easier then life without it. The two did their homework and practised spells in the common room after school, and the easy friendship made Rose slip Esme's mind for hours on end. When she remembered, however, she would feel guilty and pick some flowers from the school grounds for her ill friend. Rose herself seemed to be getting no better; she lay pale and still on the bed, her eyes closed, her chest barely moving.

At the end of every transfiguration lesson- they were trying to turn pins into matchsticks, which was proved to be very hard indeed- Esme or Grace would ask Professor McGonagall how Rose was. The answer was always the same: "No better, but no worse."

Life went on like this for weeks, before Halloween came around, and disaster once again struck.

**xXx**

_**A/N: A bit of a cliffie here! Hope you like it, though this chapter IS a bit of a filler... Well, remember to review and tell me what you think. I'll probably put up another chapter later... well, bye!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	10. Chapter 10: Halloween Madness

**_A/N: Just... enjoy the chapter. Harry Potter will never belong to me._**

**Chapter Ten**

**Halloween Madness**

Time began to fly. Soon Halloween came around, and to Esme, it felt as if hardly any time had passed at all! Yet she was forced to believe it; this feast marked the end of her second month at Hogwarts.

The halls and corridors were decked out in orange and black, accompanied by school house-banners. Miniature bats began to drift around the students heads, and Esme found several tangled in her hair one morning (Grace had found this highly amusing; Esme, however, had not). There was a festive feeling in the air, and Hogwarts seemed busier than ever before.

On the morning of October 31st Esme woke late. Students had been given the day off from lessons as to enjoy the spooky holiday, and the staff had promised some unexpected surprises. She was greatly looking forward to today, on the whole; so happy, in fact, she didn't feel bad about not visiting Rose. After all, she couldn't spend the whole year mourning.

"Are you coming?" Grace called from her own bed. "It's about time you were up; the others have already left." Not that they cared, after all; they knew their way around by now, so they no longer needed to hang around with the twins full-time. Emmeline, however, had done just that, and it seemed odd to find the three separated.

Quickly Esme got dressed, pulled on her best hat and the two girls went down to breakfast. In the centre of the tables, amongst the plates and glasses of pumpkin juice, jack-o-lanterns stood, flickering. In honour of the occasion, the enchanted ceiling- which normally showed the weather outside- was jet-black still, stars spelling out the words _Happy Halloween_!

"This is great, isn't it?" asked Grace as she took a slice of baguette. "If this is what they do for Halloween, I can't wait for Christmas!"

Esme's mind began to wander down the months to Christmas. She imagined Hogwarts covered in fine snow, like icing sugar, ice sculptures lining the halls instead of suits of armour. It all seemed very magical, until an image of Rose filled her mind, wearing white lace and lying in the snow, long ginger hair frozen and skin paler than the ground beneath her. Her happy visions vanished, and she wondered if she could ever be happy at Hogwarts.

"Come on," she said to Grace, "Professor Longbottom tipped me off that there was a load of booby traps down the third-floor corridor. Want to go check it out?"

"Yeah!" Grace agreed, and the two girls abandoned their breakfast and set off for the corridor. A large, heavy door was half-open, and they walked through it. Esme's eyes scanned the room, searching for the hidden traps.

"Looks safe enough to me," Grace said, and took a step forwards. Instantly, the floor beneath her slid away, and Esme sprang back. Grace screamed in delight as she slid down what appeared to be a metal slide, until she vanished in the darkness. Esme crouched at the foot of the hole, peering down.

"You okay?" she called out, her voice echoing down the chute.

"You bet!" Grace cried. "Come down, Es, quick!"

Taking a deep breath and shutting her eyes, Esme sat on the edge and pushed herself. She vanished down into the chute, which vanished into a smooth, curled slide. She landed at the bottom with a soft thud on something soft. "Where are we? Grace?" she called out into the dark.

"Lumos," came Grace's voice, and the bright wand-light filled the room. Esme's jaw dropped; she couldn't believe her eyes.

All around her, soft cushions and pillows lay scattered. Nets, ropes and swings lines the walls, and on the ceiling was a large blanket.

"What is this place?" she breathed. Grace shrugged.

"Who cares? Light your wand, we're having some fun today!"

They wasted the morning- and a good portion of the afternoon, too- playing in the room. A couple of other first- and second-years joined them, having fallen into the trap, and they organised a game of swing-and-tag. Esme could of said it was the best day of her life, and practically be sure she wasn't lying.

When the fun had worn off and somebody had found the way out, it was suddenly time for the feast. Rich food lined the tables, and as they sat down, they had no trouble of disposing of it. Even the puddings were wonderful- blackcurrent tarts, carrot cake, lemon sponge and tiny fairy cakes decorated with seasonal decor.

When the feast was almost over, however, the lights flickered and died. Shrieks and mutters ran through the hall, and Esme felt Grace's hand grab hers. They heard someone yelling, "The doors wont open! We're trapped!" before the room fell into chaos. Not even magic could penetrate this light, nor could the teachers calm the chaos.

Suddenly, with no warning, the lights came back on. Esme hadn't moved, but she could see students were everywhere, and all were looking terrified. Whispers and mutters ran through the crowd, then suddenly silence. Everybody's eyes were fixed on the same point.

A boy lay in the centre of the room, curled on the floor. His skin was white as paper, his hair shorn, and yet Esme was sure this was a boy. He had no apparent sign of injury on him, and yet he didn't move. Esme could barely see his breathing, though she knew it was there. She squeezed Grace's hand and the two girls exchanged a glance.

"Rosie..." they breathed, at the exact same time.

**xXx**

_**A/N: A bit of a filler at the start, but it gets slightly better towards the end. And yes, the Second Disaster! Please review!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	11. Chapter 11: The Secret Meeting

_**A/N: haha, I just love how you're all like, 'continue this story'. I'm currently writing book two; I don't think I'll be giving this up anytime soon.**_

_**Thanks to sabina-luna-potter, LeannaDrobis and Jules for your kind reviews! Leanna, your last review was really kind, it made me blush!**_

_**Oh! If any of you guys are looking for an epic story to read, I'd suggest 'Promise of a Lifetime' by alb33. Seriously, check it out, it's amazing!**_

_**Finally, I do not own Harry Potter; now on with the story!**_

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Secret Meeting**

The chaos that followed the revelation of the boy- a second-year by the name of Scorpius Malfoy- was enormous. Some wizards came to retrieve their children at once, and the halls seemed emptier for it; however, a panel of what the school called 'governors' and their families came to calm the trouble and catch the culprit.

It was on the morning of the fifteenth of November, on her way to History of Magic, that Esme caught sight of a familiar ginger head. "Hugo!" she cried, "What're you doing here?"

"Our parents are part of the govenours team," Hugo said gleefully. "With Rose here, they could hardly leave me behind, could they? Plus, Professor McGonagall says I can sit in on some first-year lessons. What have you got next?"

"History of Magic," Esme told him. "You coming?"

"Alright," he said, and followed her up the stairs into the classroom.

Esme quite enjoyed History of Magic; not for the learning, but for the dispute. Up until three years ago, History of Magic had been taught by a droning ghost called Professor Binns; he had a way of lecturing you so you wanted to fall asleep, and hardly anyone could resist it. Then Professor McGonagall had decided to take matters into her own hands, and had looked for a replacement, which had come in the form of Professor Lovegood. Luna Lovegood was also editor of a magazine called _The Quibbler_, a neutralist and a complete nut. The common nickname for her was 'Loony Lovegood', which Rose had told her lasted from her school days. She tended to where orange, radish-like plants as earrings, and wore a tiara similar to the one in the garden. Her blonde, wavy hair was floor-length, as if it had never been cut. Her eyes were wide, as if she were permanently surprised, and she tended to speak in a dreamy tone, adding in all sorts of nonsense. Everybody agreed she was a better teacher, except, of course, Professor Binns. Binns had been furious at being sacked, and so as often as he could, would float through the wall and try to teach. This normally started an argument between Professor Lovegood and himself, and as Loony Lovegood was undeniably random, this made way for a very interesting conversation.

Sure enough, as the class took their seats, Professor Binns floated through the blackboard. Lovegood turned to him, her wide eyes narrowing (as much as they could), her hands on her hips. "Excuse me, Mr Binns? I have told you, time and again, that this is no longer your class, but mine."

"How dare you!" Binns retorted, the droning gone from his voice to be replaced by anger. "I have been teaching at this school for eighty-four years, eighty-four! I don't think you have any right to replace me!"

"I have every right," Lovegood replied evenly. "Professor McGonagall has sacked you, so quit wasting my time! Begone, irritable ghost!"

"Begone? BEGONE?" Binns yelled, making the whole class jump. "Why, my dear Luna, it is you who shall begone!"

"Mr Binns, I think it may be possible you have concocted Irri-junk-itis. It makes one extremely irritating; perhaps you should go to the medical wing?" Binns spluttered helplessly as the class laughed. Then he turned and walked through the wall without another word.

"Dear oh dear, my oh my," Professor Lovegood said in her usual voice, turning to the class. "Now, if you'd turn to page sixty-two of Hogwarts: A History, I will read to you..." Her voice drifted on and Esme exchanged a glance with Hugo; the younger boy was grinning.

Later that week, when Esme had crept to the hospital wing to see Rose, the sound of footsteps made her jump. Walking down into the ward was a man she had never seen before, with sleek blonde hair and pale eyes. Feeling it would be best not to let him see her, she ducked under the bed, and hid there. She was shielded from his sight by the long bedsheets of Rose's bed, and could only see his feet through a gap. More footsteps echoed through the room; a second pair of feet appeared.

"Draco," said a voice; it belonged to the second pair of feet. "Draco, we must act fast." The voice was a man's, cold and forbidding; Esme had to repress a shudder.

"What can we do? The intruder hasn't been caught. There's nothing we can do to stop this." The second voice was also male, but hollow and empty. It echoed around the room, depressing Esme considerately. Her heat beat faster against the floor; it was so loud, she was surprised the two men couldn't hear it.

"Not that, Draco," the first voice said again, now impatient. "The centaurs in the woods... that was the real reason for our departure, was it not?"

"Yes," said Draco, "Yes, it was. The centaurs and the plot. Of course, no word to McGonagall or the rest; they'll have our guts for garters. Not even Astoria must know."

"Yes," agreed the other voice, "Indeed. Do you want me to lead the party now?"

"Of course," said Draco, "You must. Also, I need to find that student." Here, his voice became so low it could only be described as a hiss. "I will search the room. That student... you know the one I mean?"

"Of course," said the second voice. It was coming from the exit now, and she heard the door open. "The child you are looking for is currently hiding under the Weasley girl's bed." The door closed. Esme's heart beat faster; how had he known where she was hiding?

Suddenly the sheets screening her were wrenched back, and Draco's face leered at her. "Get up, now," he hissed. "Quickly, we don't have much time."

Shaking, Esme crawled out from under the bed and stood up. Draco was circling her like a vulture, looking her up and down; it was beginning to make her feel incredibly nervous.

"What is your name, girl?" he asked her, voice like ice. "Answer me!"

"Esme," she whimpered.

"Your family?" he asked her, voice still stonily cold.

"I'm muggle-born sir."

"I see," said Draco, his eyes lighting up. "But you have great magical ability, I'm surprised. Before I go on, do you promise not to tell anyone that you know me?"

Esme gazed fearfully at his face. "Well, I'll probably tell Grace, but no-one-" He cut her off, drawing his wand from his robes and pointing it at her.

"_Crucio_!" he yelled, and white-hot pain burst behind her eyes. When it passed, she was kneeling on the floor, sobbing. Draco still circled her, eyes dark and greedy. "I will say it again; do you promise not to tell anyone?"

"I- I promise," she whimpered.

"Good," he said, nodding. "Well, girl, I have a task for you. I want you to find out who is cursing these students, and stop them."

"But why me?' she asked him in confusion. "Why can't you-" Another blast of pain followed; he had hit her with the curse again. When it passed, she nodded, gulping. "I will."

"Good. And do you promise, girl, that as long as you are at Hogwarts, you will do my bidding- and are therefore under my protection?"

Esme didn't bother this time. "Yes," she whispered. Her heart was pounding in her chest; but Draco simply nodded, lowering his want slightly.

"That's what I thought," he said cooly. "I would normally not put a muggle-born under my protection, but I am told you will be of use to me. When in private, you shall call me 'Master Malfoy'. When in public, you shall not speak to me about this meeting; instead, act as if we've never met. Is this clear?"

"Yes, Master Malfoy," Esme whispered. Draco nodded, looking pleased.

"Then you may go. Oh, and Esme?" She paused, halfway to the door. "I will be watching you closely."

**xXx**

_**A/N: Aha! What on earth is Draco up to? Well, I shan't tell you! But this chapter is VERY important in the play of the books. It's not really until book three that Esme knows what's going on... so you shall have to wait until then! Mwahaha! **_

_**Until next time, please review!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	12. Chapter 12: The Restricted Section

**_A/N: Thanks to LeannaDrobisforever and sabrina-luna-potter for your reviews! And as to Leanna, patience, my dear friend, patience. I MAY tell you who Esme's love intrest will be nearer the time (but only if you keep it secret), and besides, he really isn't important in this story at all. Not until book six. And as for your question about Draco, it's a bit of both. It's up to you what you think of him. As a poster in my English classroom says, Nothing is either good or bad but thinking makes it so. _**

**_And I don't own Harry Potter (yet...)_**

**Chapter Twelve**

**The Restricted Section**

Determined- or perhaps bidden- to find who had bespelled Rose and the boy, Esme began to hide in the library, researching sleeping spells. Grace would nearly always come with her, though she found it incredibly irritating.

"Why are you looking at this stuff anyway?" she'd asked, flipping through a book hap-hazardly. "What're you trying to find out?"

"What sort of spell was used on Rose and the others," Esme replied, engrossed in Magical Solutions to Every-Day Problems. "So I can see how much power the person casting them has."

"But why?" Grace whined. "It's not as if we're going to go after them ourselves. We'd be mad!" Esme did not answer. Instead, she read through the chapter entitled Sleeping Problems, but there was nothing more powerful than a sleeping tablet. She sighed and put the book back on the shelf, and began to look on the shelves again.

"Anyway, the type of book you're looking for would be in the restricted section, wouldn't it?" Grace asked, sitting on the table. Esme turned to her in sharp surprise.

"What did you say?" she asked, as Grace slid off the desk.

"The restricted section," said Grace with a shrug. "You have to get a pass from the librarian to look in there. Why don't you ask?" She pointed at the stern-looking witch behind the desk. Esme nodded and walked over there.

"Um, excuse me?" she asked politely. "May I have a look in the restricted section?" The witch frowned at her.

"I usually don't let first-years look in there. What house are you in?"

"Ravenclaw," Esme replied, feeling her heart beat faster. The librarian handed her a pass.

"Here you go. Just don't go abusing what you find in there!"

The restricted section was in a dark, gloomy corner of the library, sickly light coming from a thin, tall window high up on the wall. Shelves lined the walls- as like the rest of the library- but the books on them were dark and fragile-looking. Some had no names at all, or only faded lettering on the sides. The two girls had to flip to the first page to see what the book was called- and were often disappointed.

"How about this one?" Grace asked, holding up a black, leather-bound volume. "Illegal Curses, Hexes and Jinxes. Find the deadliest weapons amongst these pages."

"Okay," said Esme, and put it on the pile of hopeful books. She pulled out two more books before a title caught her eye. "Hey, listen to this one!" she said excitedly. "Spells For Sleeping!"

Deciding to give up on searching, she sat down at the desk and opened the book. After flipping through several chapters ('Play-Dead Hex', 'Snoring Jinx' and 'Perhaps Their Last Sleep?' were some of the many eye-grabbing titles), she finally came to a spell that seemed worthy. "_The Rosilea Curse_," she read aloud, "_A powerful curse with the ability to put one into an almost death-like sleep. The victim of this curse will become awfully pale, their breathing and heart-rate slowing to almost non-exsistant. Unlike most spells, the Rosilea Curse can also be solidified into an object (such as a poisoned arrow), liquidized as to spike someone's drink, and turned into a gas as to gas a large amount of people. The only cure for it is to have the spell removed by the person who cast it_. It all fits!"

"Well, yeah," said Grace, "But we've pretty much got a hopeless case if you're trying to wake your friend or whatever. After all, nobody knows who's doing it! And listen here: _The Rosilea curse may go wrong and send the victim to their deaths. It is illegal, and many will agree it is dangerous. Only a wizard or witch with experience will be able to correctly perform the curse_. It can't be one of the teachers, could it?"

"No," said Esme. "But Rose was found near the Forbidden Forest. I think whoever's casting this spell is hiding in there!" Grace rolled her eyes.

"Esme, just leave it, wont you? I told you, it's hopeless. C'mon, let's go." She stood up and began to stalk away.

"Grace, wait!" Esme called after her, but Grace had already left. Sighing, Esme sank back into her seat and read the last paragraph of the chapter.

_There are four curse-words under the Rosilea Curse. To create the simple spell, the word is 'Rosillia'. To create a gas, you must say 'Rosille'; for water it is Rosillah. Finally, to create a solid, you must first say the word of the object, and then the spell-curse. For example, if making a sleeping spear, you would say 'Spearo Rosillia'._

Curious, Esme began to look through some other books, and stored more spells into her brain. Most of the spells were illegal, highly dangerous or 'not to be advised'. Still, pleased with her new knowledge, she left the library.

Walking down the corridor, she pondered on the task at hand. How would she find the culprit? The only thing she could think of was to set a trap; and she didn't want to put her friends at risk. She would wait, till after Christmas. For now, though, she really needed to get started on that Charms homework.

**xXx**

_**A/N: A bit of a filler chapter, but now we know what spell is being used! Looks pretty hopeless for Esme right now, right? Well, don't worry, I promise it's all right at the end (maaaaaybe...)**_

_**Anyway, review and tell me what you think!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	13. Chapter 13: The Last Day

_**A/N: Nothing much to say, 'cept Harry Potter doesn't belong to me.**_

**Chapter Thirteen**

**The Last Day**

November began to roll into December, and before long, it was almost time to go home for Christmas. Esme could scarcely believe how time had flown. The summer seemed such a long time ago.

Hogwarts was now decorated with tinsel and fake snow; real snow covered the ground, and pupils from all years were soon having snowball fights after school and during break. Teachers piled homework on them to do over the holidays (okay, so maybe it was just six essays and some light reading) and the work was getting harder. Esme didn't care at all.

"Missed me!" she yelled to Grace, as the enchanted snowball missed her by an inch. She grabbed a handful of snow in her gloved hand and chucked it at her, laughing; the powdered white stuff burst over Grace's head as she tried to destroy it with a charm her sister had taught her. Playing without magic was much more fun, Esme had to admit, but Grace's failed attempts were certainly funny. Finally, the two girls collapsed on a bench, giggling and breathless.

"This is the best," Grace laughed. "I'm gonna miss you over Christmas, Esme. Don't forget my present, will you?"

"Of course I wont! Just remember to send mine first, I'll send mine back with the owl." She paused. "I'll miss you too, Gracie. Still, it's only two weeks, right? We'll be back at Hogwarts before long!"

"You sound as if you prefer school to home!" Grace said, only half-joking.

"Yeah," said Esme, "I do."

**xXx**

_**A/N: This chapter is mainly filler. It just tells us that Esme's going home for Christmas (it's the 20th of December in this chapter) and her Birthday (which is on the 21st). Sorry for the shortness, this is definitely the shortest chapter I've written. Other then that, please review!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	14. Chapter 14: Home

**_A/N: I'm disappointed to say I got no reviews last night... Oh well, I hope people are still reading this. _**

**_And I definitely don't own Harry Potter. _**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Home**

Esme sat in the compartment, her forehead lying against the cool window. They would be arriving at King's Cross any minute now; she was wearing her normal clothes, as was the snoring Grace beside her. Snow swirled outside the fogged-up window, making it difficult to see anything but her own reflection. She closed her eyes for a moment, before the train gave a jerk.

Her hazel eyes flickered open; they had arrived at the station. Grabbing her stuff she escaped the stuffy cabin before Grace could wake up fully, and jumped out of the train. She dashed across the platform and burst through the barrier, eager eyes searching for the tall, auburn-haired woman.

"ESME!" came a relieved yell, and Esme turned to see her mother fighting her way through the jostling crowd. Heaving her stuff over her shoulder, she raced towards her mother, and flung her arms around her neck. "Hey babe," Mrs Morris soothed. "Had a good term?"

"The best!" said Esme, letting go and dropping to the floor. "Wait 'til you hear..."

The house where Esme had grown up seemed strange now, as if it were barely real. Dumping her stuff in the hall, Esme spent a good ten minutes looking around the house before her mother called her to dinner.

"So you've been doing well at school?" Mrs Morris asked as Esme shovelled up her bolognaise. Esme could only nod, a strand of spaghetti trailing from her lip. "So what do you want to do for your birthday tomorrow? Would you like to go out somewhere?"

Esme shrugged, swallowing. "Maybe we could take Jeremy to that all-you-can-eat buffet in town? I just really want to stay home this year." Her mother smiled.

"If you wish," she said. "So you've missed us?"

"Of course!" Esme exclaimed, then let out a sigh. "It's just so good to be home."

**xXx**

_**A/N: This chapter is again mostly filler, but I need to go through the events that happen during the Christmas Holidays... Or at least, I feel like I need to :p I just hope you guys like it!**_

_**Also, does anyone have an image that i can edit to make a cover or who could make me a cover? Not just for this book, but for the others as well when I get round to them. So... anyone? Just shoot me a PM if you're interested. **_

_**Again, keep reading, and review!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	15. Chapter 15: The Empty House

_**A/N: Thanks to Leanna drobis, my only reviewer, for reviewing! As for this chapter, it isn't important until later books and Esme sort of forgets this event after a while. Still, I felt the need to write this, so please stick with me until Esme returns to Hogwarts- it gets a little more interesting then, I promise. And if you're looking for a good fan-fic, here are some recommended: George Weasley and the Computational Error by pisoprano, Kurania and the Slytherin Legacy by Melissa Katherine or The Malfoy's Servant by Leanora. **_

_**Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. **_

_**And with that in mind, here's the next chapter!**_

**Chapter Fifteen**

**The Empty House**

Esme woke the next morning before the sun had risen; it was dark in her room. The clock on her bedside table read five twenty-six AM, so she guessed it must be. Pulling her quilt around her, she slipped out of the bedroom and made her way down the silent stairs.

Going through the door opposite her, she found herself in the living room. It was a fair-sized room, with a sofa facing a TV (which was hung on a wall). Behind the sofa was a rug, and several bookshelves against the wall. In-between the bookshelves was a large window. At this early hour they were drawn, and the normally bright room was cast in shadows. Shivering, Esme crossed to the curtains and opened them. Unnatural yellow light from the street flooded in, creating strange chinks of light on the wall. Through the glass she could see the quiet crescent, the houses opposite, the neat gardens and sleeping cars. In every house there was no light, no movement, nothing. Nothing but Esme, staring out into the dark street beyond.

After five minutes of sitting on the sill, staring out, her brain began to fog up. Why was she sitting here at this early hour, all alone? Why hadn't she gone back to sleep? These questions drifted about in her clouded mind. She stared at her reflection for a while, head on the glass, before she realised...

That wasn't her reflection.

A gasp caught itself in her throat. Staring back at her was a pale face, much like her own; bluish eyes set at the same width, and hair much like her own, but pitch-black. The reflection- for that was what it was- wore not a duvet but witch's robes, in dark blue encrusted with gold.

"Who are you?" the reflection called; the voice was young, so young she could've been Esme's age.

"Esme Morris?" Esme called back; the reflection gave no sign of hearing her, instead tapping on the glass.

"Who are you?" she called again. "Isn't this the Empty House? What are you doing here?"

"Empty House?" Esme called, "What do you mean?"

"No... no," the girl muttered. "Just being silly... of course I am... no-one ever comes here... Rowena, you're going mad..." She seemed to be moving further away.

"No!" Esme called, "Wait!"

A light snapped on, drawing Esme's gaze away from the window. Her father- a balding blonde, with glasses and stubble on his chin- stood in the doorway, hands on his hips, looking faintly annoyed. "Esme, why're you yelling? Actually, come to think of it, why are you even up?"

Esme shook her head, unable to explain; she looked back at the window to point out the girl, but she had vanished. Only Esme's reflection was there, blinking back at her in confusion. "I... Oh, never mind," she muttered.

"Okay then," her father said, "Just go back to bed for a bit, wont you? There's a good girl." He walked away, switching the light off. When he had vanished up the stairs, Esme took one last look at the window; the girl had not returned. Rowena, she had called herself. And what had she meant by the Empty House? Shaking it off, Esme pulled her quilt close around her and made her way back upstairs.

She couldn't shake off the feeling someone was watching her.

**xXx**

_**A/N: Only one more chapter after this, then Esme will be back at Hogwarts, I promise! Please review?**_

_**Also, I'd still appreciate any help with a cover-finder. **_

_**And if you're bored, you could do with checking out the fics listed above!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	16. Chapter 16: Celebrations

_**A/N: Sorry for not uploading yesterday, I was busy! Thanks to Leanna for reviewing! And here's the last chapter at home before Esme goes back to Hogwarts!**_

_**Oh, and Harry Potter doesn't like me enough to be considered my possession (in other words, don't own it).**_

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Celebrations**

That night, at seven pm, a knock came to the door. It was Mr Morris who opened it to reveal Jeremy, stood blinking in the sudden light that spilled out onto the doorstep. Esme was in the hallway, hidden from view by the coat stand.

"Mr Morris?" Jeremy called, blinking. "You wanted me to-"

Before he could continue, though, Esme pushed past her father and leapt on Jeremy with a kind of lop-sided bear hug. He toppled over backwards, and the two of them fell, laughing, onto the grass. Esme sat up, leaving room for Jeremy to do likewise.

"Esme!" he cried, "I've missed you!" Esme nodded, laughing, breathless.

"I've missed you too." She stood up and helped him to his feet. "Come on in, I just have to get changed and then we're going out for dinner."

"Great," Jeremy said with a grin. Mr Morris chuckled, and closed the door behind the two. Esme dashed upstairs to get changed, while Jeremy waited in the hallway, eating one of Mrs Morris's brownies.

Esme checked that her makeup was in place one last time, unlocked her bedroom door and went downstairs. Jeremy was stood in the hallway, eating a brownie; as she entered his sight, his head snapped up and his eyes widened slightly. Esme looked... beautiful.

She wore a red dress with straps rather then sleeves, revealing her arms. On her wrists she wore several bracelets, and around her neck hung a silver pendant in the shape of an arrow. The dress wasn't a clingy, figure-hugging thing like most older women wore; it was just the kind of thing that showed how old Esme was really turning. The dress fell just above her ankles, revealing some scarlet sandals with tiny heels. As far as Jeremy knew, Esme had never worn heels before in her life.

"How do I look?" she asked him nervously, as her parents came into the hall. It was Mrs Morris who answered, however.

"You look beautiful, darling. Now come on, we made a seven-thirty reservation; we'll be late!"

The four of them piled into the car and within ten minutes found themselves at the buffet restaurant. Inside it was lit with dim lamps and draped in dark red; Esme stood out like a chilli in a box of cherries. They found their table, and ate as much as they liked. The food was all very delicious- soups, stews, sandwiches, salads, curries, chips, pasta, wraps, pastries, pies with cakes, trifles, jellies, tarts and ice creams for pudding. When at last they left, Esme was three things; full, giddy and so glad to be twelve.

Four days later came Christmas. Esme woke early, but not as early as she had on her birthday; it was ten past seven. She found, at the bottom of her bed, a small stack of presents; all were small, and she found seven in total. The first she opened was from Jeremy; it was a set of books entitled _Modern Wizarding Breakthroughs; From 1991-2007_. He had clearly managed to find a wizard to help him into Diagon Alley or someplace similar; she smiled, remembering to thank him later. The second was a bag of chocolate coins from her next-door neighbour, an elderly woman named Kylie Fitzpatrik. There were some books from each of her three cousins- muggle books, but ones that she adored. Issy, Miranda and Jake had outdone themselves this year. Then she found two presents from her parents; a quill set and a set of fine inks in exotic colours. Laying them out on her desk, she pulled on a dressing gown and went to wake her parents.

"Mum?" she hissed into the darkness of their large bedroom. "Dad? Wake up." She got a mumble and a groan in reply. Sighing, she stepped forwards, feeling her way through the gloom to their bed and sitting down. "Get up now," she whined. "Please? It's Christmas!"

"We're up, we're up!" Mrs Morris muttered, rubbing her eyes and sitting up. She flicked on the bedroom lamp. "Anything from Santa yet?" she asked cheerfully. Truthfully, Esme didn't really believe in Santa anymore, even though she wanted to. Still, it was fun to pretend, even just for one day, that she did. And so she described her presents in detail and thanked them for the quill and inks. The day before she had sent Grace her Christmas present, and put her own under the tree downstairs. Her birthday present from Grace had been the necklace with the arrow on it; apparently Grace was interested in Astrology. In a letter that had come with it, Grace had explained to her all about the sign. She had decided to google more before going back to school.

Some of her other presents included a set of walkie talkies ("In a school that big, wouldn't it be nice and easy to meet with your friends via these?") and a tablet ("To help you in your studies"). Esme knew from reading _Hogwarts: A History_ that these things would not work near the school, but the intention was nice, all the same. Christmas dinner was the usual; simple but good. This year they had pork (her mother didn't like turkey), stuffing, roast potatoes, mixed vegetables, yorkshire puddings and pigs in blankets. For pudding they could choose between Christmas Pudding and Gurdlebuster Pie- Esme had a bit of both. The pudding was delicious, but the pie swung her vote- it was divine, if a little filling.

By the time Christmas was over, Esme was exhausted. The rest of the week passed, and finally, Esme found herself on the train back to Hogwarts.

**xXx**

_**A/N: Gurdlebuster pie is a real pudding, research it! And why not review? **_

_**-Invisi**_


	17. Chapter 17: Broomsticks and Charms

_**A/N: Thanks to sabrina-luna-potter for reviewing! Here's that promised chapter where Esme goes back to Hogwarts (thank Merlin), so I'm just gonna skip this and cut straight to the chase. Or, rather, the chapter.**_

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Broomsticks and Charms**

On Esme's first day back the Ravenclaws had flying practise with the Hufflepuffs. They had been learning since late September, and though Esme adored the feeling of the wind running though her hair, she just wasn't good at it.

"Today," Madame Hooch announced, "We will split into groups of fourteen and practise Quiddich." And excited muter ran through the students. "For those of you who do not know," Madame Hooch continued when the noise died down, "Quiddich is a popular wizarding sport. It consists of four balls; the quaffle, the bludgers and the snitch. One of the players will be goal-keeper; their job is to defend the three hoops against goals. Goals are scored by Chasers. There are three chasers in a team. Chasers score with the quaffle; each goal is worth ten points. Then there are the bludgers, which try to knock players off their brooms. Beaters are there to protect their teammates against bludgers, and to aim them towards the opposite team. There are always two Beaters on a team. Then there is the last ball; the tiny golden snitch. A game of Quiddich will only end when a seeker catches the snitch, scoring one hundred and fifty points for their team. The seeker catches the snitch. Now, in your groups- it will be Hufflepuff against Ravenclaw- I want you to do ten-minute rotations between the positions. Ready? Off you go."

Esme was with Grace, Gordon Farthing (a largely-built boy with stubby brown hair), Aiden Prior (a small boy with flat blonde hair that fell in front of his eyes), Janice, Janie and Emmeline. Esme started off as keeper, but was hopeless; the balls went straight over her head, and one hit her in the nose. Then she tried being Beater, but the bat was too heavy and she dropped it. The two roles she was rather good at were Chaser and Seeker; in her Chaser position, she scored six goals, and in Seeker, she got the snitch in six minutes.

"That's rather fun, isn't it?' she asked Grace later that day on their way to the Great Hall for lunch. Grace snorted; her nose was still swollen where she had been hit by a bludger.

"You were good at Chaser. And Seeker. Will you try out for the team next year?" Grace asked. Esme shrugged.

"I'll think about it, but I really need to figure out which role I'd be better at."

"Eh, try for both. The captain will tell you what role you've got- if you get it, of course."

"Right," Esme agreed, helping herself to some pasta. "Hey," she added, changing the subject, "Have you done that charms homework?"

"No!" Grace complained. "I can't get the hang of _Wingardiam Leviousa_." As the brunette said the words, her glass of pumpkin juice floated five inches in the air. Grace scowled. "See? Whenever I'm practising or in Class, it doesn't work. I complain about it, and something just floats!" She snatched back the glass and took an irritable sip.

"Maybe think of how irritating it is while you're in class?" Esme asked. "C'mon, we have Charms next; try it out then."

"I suppose..." Grace said in annoyance.

The two of them made their way to charms, and Esme's theory worked; Grace was successfully able to levitate a book. On their way out, however, Professor Flitwick took Esme aside.

"You're very good at charms," he squeaked. "And professors McGonagall and Oswald tell me you're excellent in their subjects too. You're wand is very unusual; and different wands are talented at different things. That's why the wand chooses the wizard, as it detects similarities between their skills." Esme tried not to look uncomfortable as she wondered what he was going to say.

"I think maybe I ought to give you a very hard charm- hard for a first-year, anyway- and see how you do. I may have to ask Professor McGonagall if she'd move you up a year or two in some of your classes." Esme's heart beat faster; she could barely believe what she was hearing! "Okay, so the charm is Vaporous. It will make any object smoke- not catch fire, but emit lots of smoke or steam. And, if you want to try something harder, you could use Tinxere to dye it a different colour. This is about third-year work, so don't worry if it's too hard for you. You may go."

Esme left the room, turning her wand over in her hand absently as she made her way down to potions.

**xXx**

_**A/N: Again, rather... filler-y. But please review!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	18. Chapter 18: Gracie

_**A/N: Sorry I haven't put up a chapter in a while! I've been working on other projects, had my friends round, blahblahblah. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter... or not. Harry Potter doesn't belong to me!**_

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Gracie**

The next morning Esme was on her way down to Herbology when she realised she'd left her gloves on the table in the great hall. Normally this wouldn't matter too much, but Professor Longbottom had promised them that they'd go down to the Forbidden Forest to pick some extenuatio thistles, which were to be used by Madame Pomfrey and Professor Sting. She didn't want bleeding hands, so she stopped and turned around.

"I left my gloves in the great hall," she told Grace. "Go on without me; I think they're meeting by Hagrid's hut. Cover for me?"

"Okay. Are you sure?" Grace asked. Esme nodded.

"Go on."

Grace made her way towards the Herbology doors, while Esme ran back to get her gloves. By the time she reached the class, they'd already begun to pick the spiky magenta plants.

"Ah, Esme," Professor Longbottom said, "Why are you so late?"

"I forgot my gloves," she told him, blushing slightly.

"Okay. You can get to work. Say," he added, catching her arm as she tried to walk past him, "Was Miss Holland with you?" Esme frowned.

"I told her to go ahead," she said in confusion. Professor Longbottom nodded, letting her go.

"I'm sure she'll turn up; probably got a bit lost. Go ahead and start."

But Grace did not return within the next ten minutes. Esme was distracted and kept on getting pricked by the thistles; they would run away as far as their little pink legs would carry them. Finally she stuck her hand up in the air.

"Professor Longbottom?" she called. "May I be excused to look for Grace?" Professor Longbottom gave her a long look, but nodded.

"Be careful," he told her, and she nodded before grabbing her bag, tearing off her dragon hide gloves and running.

She had barely left the perimeter of the woods when she tripped over something. She let out a hiss of pain, landing on her knees and hands. One of her feet had gotten tangled in a gorse bush, but when she tried to move it, pain shot up her leg. She looked beyond the bush, to see what had tripped her, and let out a cry of shock.

There, lying in the shadow of a sycamore, lay Grace's limp body. Her skin was paper-white, her eyes half-closed. Her chest was barely moving, and her hair was cut short. Cut short; not shaved, like the others. A cold shiver shot down her spine. That means the person doing this had been interrupted. And they were probably still here.

Hiding... or invisible.

Thinking fast, she opened her bag and rummaged through it, finally finding the small vial full of golden liquid. She unscrewed the lid, put it to her lips, and downed half the bottle in one gulp. The world began to blur, shifting in and out of focus in the most unsettling way; then the double-vision she was seeing came together, and Esme found herself with an arrow pointed at her head. She let out a squeak of surprise and fear, before dropping the vial; the glass bottle broke, and the golden liquid soaked into the soil.

The person holding the bow, at first glance, looked like a centaur. Then she looked harder, and realised it was just a boy on a horse was a glossy chestnut, strong and sturdy but rather young. The boy riding it must have been her own age; he was tall, with long golden hair and narrowed, dark eyes. He wore a simple shirt and breeches, and his feet were bare.

"State your name and your station," he told her; Esme, frightened, wasted no time in answering.

"Esme Morris, muggle-born!" she cried; the boy lowered his arrow. Then he slid off his horse and extended a hand to her; shakily, she took it, and he helped her to her feet.

"Then it seems, Miss Morris, that you and I are on a par." He hung the bow on his shoulder and flung the arrow to the ground; it dissolved in a number of pinkish-red sparkles, no doubt made from the Rosilea Curse.

"Who are you?' she breathed, staring at him; he certainly wasn't a student.

"Euan Centaur," he told her with a bow.

"Why are you doing this to the students? Where are you from? How-" the questions tumbled from her mouth before she could stop them. Euan gave her a hard look, before climbing onto his horse and extending his hand to help her up.

"Come with me, Miss Morris, and I shall tell you," he told her. In the distance, the bell went; Esme shook her head.

"I can't now," she told him. He sighed.

"I was afraid... Meet me here at eleven PM tonight, Miss Morris. This story may take longer to tell you than I thought."

Then his horse reared up; Euan, though bareback, managed to stay on. Then he galloped away, and Esme looked up to see Professor Longbottom running towards her. He knelt, and moved the brown locks away from Grace's face.

"Miss Holland..." he breathed, then turned to Esme. "Stay here, Miss Morris; I will go and fetch Madame Pomfrey."

And so Esme crouched by her friend, and a tear slid down her cheek. "I'll miss you, Gracie," she whispered. "I promise I'll save you. _I promise._"

**xXx**

_**A/N: Mwahahaha! Anyway, I'll put up another chapter straight away! R&R!**_


	19. Chapter 19: The First Chapter

_**A/N: As promised, chapter nineteen. Enjoy! Oh, and Harry Potter doesn't belong to me (I wish it did...)**_

**Chapter Nineteen**

**The First Chapter**

That night, when Janice, Janie and Emmeline drifted off to sleep, Esme sprinkled the pale blue invisibility powder over herself. She looked down, and could still see herself, covered in shimmering blue dust that cast a glowing light. However, when she looked in the mirror there was nothing where she should have been seen. Happy enough, Esme made her way out of Ravenclaw tower and out into the grounds. It was cool and dark this late at night, but she still managed to find the place where Euan was waiting rather easily.

"So you have come, Miss Morris," he called into the night. "And that invisibility powder is a nice touch. Tonight you will hear the first part of my story, and it is a long one, so make yourself comfortable."

Esme looked around before sitting on a fallen log nearby. Euan remained perched on his horse, nodding to her once before beginning his story.

"Twenty years ago, a war ended. This war was started by the half-blood Tom Riddle- or Lord Voldemort, as he preferred to be known- in his quest to destroy all Muggles and rule the world. Of course, he was defeated by Harry Potter, the Chosen one, the boy who lived. This was all before the time of you or me, but effected my parents. My mother was sixteen when the war ended; of course, I do not remember this, but I was told by the centaurs. She was injured badly, one of her legs blown off in an explosion and the other paralysed. Society would no longer accept her or let her work, so she ran away with my father on a large black stallion. The two of them spent their lives up until they were twenty-six riding over England.

'Then they returned here, to Hogwarts- or just beyond it. The centaurs welcomed them both, the wild young man and his crippled, pregnant wife. But some prejudiced seventh-year and his friends caught wind of their stay, came down to torture them... and killed my father. For being a mudblood, for being married to a cripple. My mother gave birth some months later, and died a year after that due to disease. I was raised by centaurs, but then tragedy struck; when I was only five years old. They'd known me to be an indespectus, someone who can turn invisible at will; I ran away one day and became visible in sight of some Slytherin were upset and angry at their pure-blooded house-mates for being cruel to them, and beat me up. I never went in search of the school again.

'Then, when I was seven, I met another student; her name was Lyssia Wood. She taught me magic; highly advanced magic, and I performed it perfectly. Then, when she left, I never saw her again, and so I spent my days lingering, invisible, around the school.

'This is the end of the first chapter; it's getting late, Miss Morris. I suggest you return to the school and catch up on some sleep."

And then, with a bow, he turned his horse and they rode away. Esme watched them go, pondering what she had just been told, and wondering what it had to do with anything.

**xXx**

_**A/N: Yes, Euan's story is highly unrealistic, I know. Hey, did you know that the original title for this story was going to be 'Esme Morris and the Centaur's Child'? Probably not. **_

_**Anyway, please Review- I love your reviews!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	20. Chapter 20: Life Goes On

_**A/N: Thanks once again, sabrina-luna-potter for your review!**_

_**Not much to say about this chapter. BUT I have just finished writing chapter sixteen of the next book, which I'm very pleased with. I mean, I just love the ending. Not gonna tell you why, though (that'd spoil it!)!**_

_**Oh, and Harry Potter doesn't belong to me! Bet you never saw THAT one coming!**_

**Chapter Twenty**

**Life Goes On**

Three months passed; Janruary, February, March. It was now the beggining of April, and five more had fallen ill- two pure-bloods, three half-bloods. Esme still visited the hospital wing every day to visit Grace and Rose, no matter how hopeless it seemed. She hadn't seen Euan for months.

Then, at breakfast on the third of April, an unusual bird flew in with the owls. It wasn't an owl, but a wood pecker with an engorgement charm placed upon it. She took the letter from the birds beak, fed it a piece of bread, and the creature flew off. Most of the hall was watching her now as she unfolded the slip of muddy parchment, and read the words written in smudgy brown ink:

_Today at twelve o'clock. Bring food if you wish. I will meet you at a clearing seven steps into the forest._

_-Euan_

Her cheeks flushed red with excitement and she stood up, hurrying down the hall. Finally, she would get some answers! But she wouldn't get any lunch today, so she ought to find some food to take with her... She caught sight of a tall third-year boy, eating some strawberries and cream as he walked down the hall. She stepped in front of him; he halted.

"Excuse me, do you know where the kitchens are?" she asked. He nodded, and pointed down the corridor from which he had just come.

"The portrait of a fruit bowl at the end. Tickle the pear and it will let you in," he told her; she thanked him and went on her way. When she found the portrait (it wasn't too hard), she reached out to tickle the pear, and it squirmed and giggled. Then the portrait swung open, revealing a large room full of house-elves. They all looked up at her, and became excited as the portrait swing closed behind her.

"Miss! Miss!" called one of them, "How about some butterbeer?" Esme found three bottles being shoved into her arms.

"Miss, some lovely chicken sandwiches, take them!" The food was shoved at her again; she quickly put both them and the butterbeers in her bag. They shoved some more things at her, before she finally bade them goodbye and slipped out of the room. She decided to share her food with Euan, and tell Grace about the kitchens when she woke up... those house elves just loved giving you food.

Esme found the clearing without too much difficulty; Euan was already there. He gestured to a wooden swing, hanging from two ropes off a withered oak branch. She sat down, and offered him a drink, some cake and a sandwich; he accepted. They ate, and then Euan started the story.

"I was angry at the pure-bloods, and the half-bloods. They are the ones who start wars, who think better of themselves for who their family is! I hated them with a passion, especially last year, when some pure-blood hunters from Ireland came here and slaughtered three centaurs; three of the only family I've ever known! So I took my wand, turned myself invisible, and took to the Library. I found just the book I was looking for in the restricted section; I practised the Rosilea curse on woodpeckers and squirrels. Then I made an arrow, and shot that half-blood girl down. Then, just because I hated so much, I shaved her head. I did this with every person I shot, to show my mark, to make them fear me. And it worked! Never again will a pure- or half-blood endanger us mudbloods!"

"But you can't do that!" Esme cried, dropping the bottle of butterbeer in her hand; it shattered, and the foaming white liquid bubbled around her shoes. She didn't care. "You know that girl, the first one you shot? Her mother and father helped win the war! Most of those people were innocent; some of them, perhaps, were friends with muggle-borns! What you're doing is wrong, Euan! You're no better then Voldemort himself! It's like you're trying to pay them back, but in reality, you're just making it worse!" Her yell echoed through the trees. Euan looked shocked; he slid off his horse in surprise.

"Go," he breathed. "Go, and don't come back! Get away from me!" he yelled; Esme didn't bother arguing. She turned and raced away, trying not to burst into tears. The bell rang in the distance.

How would she convince him to wake them now? Had she ruined Rose's and Grace's chances at life? After all, her life would go on; theirs wouldn't.

**xXx**

_**A/N: Yeah, Esme's a calm girl, but sometimes she just... snaps. Doesn't happen very often, as more likely she'll have a mental breakdown and just close off to everybody. Not that many chapters left now; just four more, I think!**_

_**Please review! And while you're at it, why not vote for the poll on my profile?**_

_**-Invisi**_


	21. Chapter 21: Compassion

_**A/N: Thank you, Sugar Quillow, for your review! And yeah, I'd kinda noticed some of those things myself. Lately I have been wondering if she was a bit of a Mary-Sue, so I'm gonna tweak her character a little. When I ended the first book I realised how vague she is, and tried to add a little more in the second book, but I think it'll be third-fourth book before it improves, sorry about that :p**_

_**And yes, next time I have several fillers I'll combine them into one chapter, that's a great idea! Thanks again for the advice, and here's three more chapters for you- bringing us to the end of this book! Eek!**_

**Chapter Twenty**

**Compassion**

Another month passed. Esme no longer visited the hospital wing; she didn't want to tell her friends that she'd blown it. That they would stay asleep until, finally, they could survive no more. Every night she sobbed into her pillow; her grades fell as she grieved. Not just for the friends she did have, but for the friend she could've had.

Then, on the fifteenth of May, the same woodpecker arrived with another note from Euan. She read what it said; it was only short.

_Meet me ASAP. Same place_

_-Euan_

Knowing she had nothing to do but another day of torturous lessons, and wondering what he had to say, Esme made her way down to the forest immediately. He was waiting there, perched on his horse, looking hot and bothered; she sat on the swing and looked up expectantly.

"Esme, I'm sorry. You were right to yell at me like that. You were right, full stop. I've been thinking about it... I'll free your friends."

Esme gazed at him in astonishment. "You will?" she asked, jumping up and clapping her hands, "That's great!"

Euan nodded miserably. "But I'll be in trouble, wont I? With your school and your ministry?" Esme shrugged uncomfortably.

"I'll stand up for you," she told him. "They'll have to trial you first, and I'll ask if it can take place at Hogwarts. Then I'll defend you. I wont let them take you away, I promise."

Euan nodded, looking slightly relieved. "Do we go now, then?" he asked, sliding off his horse and patting its flank. Esme nodded, and he sighed, running a hand through his horse's mane one last time.

"Good-bye, Shahzad. I'll be seeing you soon, boy."

And then, giving a stony nod to Esme, the two of them walked out of the forest and towards Hogwarts. More students were in the hallways, and people were pointing and staring, whispering to their friends. Esme ignored them, her chin high, and led Euan straight to the hospital wing. Euan saw all the people he had cursed- eight in total- and paled slightly. Then he assumed a stony expression and walked over to Rose, who was closest. He pressed two fingers to his wand tip, then to his lips, and then Rose's forehead. The girl started, her eyes opening; colour rushed back into her skin. She saw Euan and screamed; Esme rushed forwards to comfort her friend.

"Calm down, Rose, it's alright; Euan wont hurt you!" she cried. Rose relaxed, sitting up in bed and looking around the hospital wing.

"How long have I been here?" she asked wearily.

"Well, it's the fifteenth of May, if that answers your question," Esme told her, trying to suppress a giggle at Rose's horrified look. She then swore, and Esme could not help but giggle; meanwhile, Euan had woken the boy named Scorpius. The Malfoy boy was staring around in surprise.

"It's May? Already? Geez, how long have I been asleep?" The Slytherin was obviously confused, as he seemed to be talking to Rose, which couldn't be right; Albus had told her Rose and Scorpius hated each other with a passion. Esme saw Euan making his way over to Grace, and raced over, sitting on her friend's bed. Euan woke Grace easily; the girl's midnight-blue eyes flickered open. They immediately landed on Esme, and she grinned.

"Wish I'd seen that coming," she said with a grin, sitting up. "How long have I been unconscious?"

"Five months," Esme told her; Grace didn't seem troubled by this, though.

"Oh well; maybe they'll let us off our exams this year?" Esme grinned.

"Maybe."

By now, Euan had woken all the other victims; they were all looking around them in confusion, stunned at how long they'd been asleep. Just at that moment, the doors were flung wide, and Professor McGonagall entered the room. Her eyes rippled over all of them, and landed on Euan.

"Have I been informed correctly?" the head asked, "Are you the one cursing our students?" At this, Euan nodded. McGonagall frowned. "Come with me. You too, Miss Morris. You have some explaining to do."

Exchanging a frightened glance with Grace, Esme slid off the bed and followed Euan and McGonagall out of the room. If there was one thing she was going to b in, it was trouble.

**xXx**

_**A/N: Only two more chapters to go; I'll upload them straight after this one, promise! And, thanks again to Sugar Quillow for your advice!**_

_**Oh, I forgot the disclaimer; Harry Potter doesn't- gasp!- belong to me!**_

_**And please vote on the poll on my profile! **_

_**-Invisi**_


	22. Chapter 22: Trouble

_**A/N: As promised, chapter twenty-one! Enjoy, and while you're reading this, remember that Harry Potter doesn't belong to me- and be grateful for it!**_

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Trouble**

Esme sat in McGonagall's office; her heart was pounding in her chest. She and Euan had just finished explaining to the head what had happened. The old woman frowned at them.

"Miss Morris, you should have known better than to go into the forest, even if you were with someone who knows it well. I assume Professor Flitwick gave you the two charms to practise and we'd see whether or not we'd move you up next year. I hear you perfected them in March?" Esme nodded, her heart hammering. What was she talking about? "Your punishment will be to stay in your own year and do the work set for you, whether too easy or not; also, you have two weeks detention with Professor Longbottom at lunchtime. He's going to have you catching extenuatio thistles, so I'd take my gloves with me, if I were you." Esme groaned.

"As for you, Mr Centaur, we'll hold you in the astronomy tower. I will write to the ministry and get them to arrange a hearing, here at Hogwarts. It will be up to them to decide your punishment." Euan nodded, looking down at his hands. Esme spoke up.

"Um, Professor? May I- that is, may I speak in Euan's hearing?" Professor McGonagall surveyed her for a moment, before nodding.

"Very well; I will arrange it. Now, Esme, please show our guest to the astronomy tower; I've had Mr Filch set up a bed in there. Then take your leave in the Ravenclaw tower. Goodnight."

Two weeks later, Esme was cursing McGonagall and Grace; McGonagall for giving her the punishment and Grace for laughing about it. The fully-recovered brunette was sat on a bench, laughing and sipping pumpkin juice as she watched Esme flail around in the dirt as she tried to catch those bloody thistles.

"You could just help me!" she cried, thrusting another thistle into the jam jar where she had been storing them. Grace shook her head and took another sip of her drink.

"Nah, it's much more fun to watch you do it." With a snort of frustration, Esme grabbed a handful of soil and lobbed it at her friend; it hit Grace on the shoulder, covering her in mud. She let out a cry of indignation and scooped up her own handful; by the time Professor Longbottom arrived from lunch, he found the two girls covered in soil and part of an all-out mud-ball fight. He laughed, clapping at their filthy states.

"Well done, girls, that's how to spend a detention! Now, why don't you go inside and get cleaned up; your friend Euan's looking for you."

Still laughing, the pair made their way up to the castle. Esme thanked her lucky stars that that had been the last detention; she didn't fancy getting covered in mud again. They passed Anegline Niall, the Ravenclaw prefect; she stopped abruptly and stared at them.

"What the hell happened to you? Wait, don't tell me, I don't even want to know. And if you'd prefer, use the prefects bathroom to get cleaned up- we can't have the other girls thinking Ravenclaw are pigs! Go to the statue of Boris the Bewildered, there's a door right next to it. Password's 'Bubble Bath'." Then she left, and the two first-years took her advice and entered the bathroom. The door closed behind them, and stared around in awe. It was a lovely bathroom- and the bath was the size of a swimming pool.

The two girls played a sort-of game with the taps; each would release a different type of bubble-bath. The first to turn all the taps on on their side of the bath would win. In the end, it was a draw, and the bath looked highly unusual. Nevertheless, they stripped down until wearing only their underwear, and spent a relaxing afternoon swimming in the bath, forgetting all about Euan and the message that he wanted to see them.

**xXx**

**A****_/N: A cutsie little bit at the end there for you! And- snaplets!- I've miscounted chapters. However, I will post the remaining chapters today, as promised. _**

_**And remember to vote on my profile, pretty please?**_

_**-Invisi**_


	23. Chapter 23: The Trial of Euan Centaur

_**A/N: Back again, as promised, and be glad that Harry Potter doesn't belong to me!**_

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**The Trial of Euan Centaur **

The next day, Esme remembered why Euan had wanted to see them so badly yesterday; today was the day of his trials. She quickly changed and made her way to the corridor outside the hearing room, checking her watch. She was ten minutes late; the trial had started at nine. She took a deep breath, opened the doors and snuck in at the back of the room.

It was ten more minutes before she was called upon to speak; she stood up as the other speakers had done, and said her speech almost word-perfect, in a soft voice:

"When I first met Euan, I was confused. I had no idea why he would curse all those people; or even how. But then, he told me his story in parts, and I began to understand just what that curse meant to him. It was his revenge, his relief; it comforted him that his parents had not died in vain. Of course, the way he did this was wrong, but can you blame him? He was raised by a herd of centaurs, and these creatures are not like humans. They detest the fact they are considered to be like humans. They're not a fan of wizards, not at all, and with them Euan found home. Then, when I finally convinced Euan it was wrong, he freed all the people he had cursed. If he had not shown this compassion, then some of them may have died before long. He may have injured them, yes, but he forgave them; he showed compassion. And it is this compassion that shows Euan is not a bad person at all, but rather misunderstood and willing to forgive. And so I ask you to forgive him, like he forgave you."

"Thank you, Miss Morris. As you are underage, I would ask you to leave the room at this point." Esme didn't object; she just left. Then she waited, perched on the banister outside the room, for the forty minutes left of the trial. Finally, the ministry representatives and McGonagall left the room; thirty seconds later, Euan followed, his expression unreadable.

"So?" she asked eagerly, "How did it go?"

"They've given me a month in Azkaban," he said.

"And then?" Esme asked; Euan's face fell.

"Oh, Esme..." His face broke into a grin. "I'm coming to Hogwarts!"

She let out a scream of delight and high-fived him. "That's great!" she said, "Really great! Oh, I can't wait... next year's going to be the best!"

The two of them linked arms and walked down the stairs, Esme chattering about Hogwarts. They met Grace at the bottom of the stairs and made their way out of doors towards Herbology, feeling on top of the world.

**xXx**

_**A/N: Awww... I could've just left the story there, but I decided on one last chapter. Euan, Grace and Esme are really great friends, they hit off right away! And, next chapter, a little information will be revealed about the garden!**_

_**Oh, and please vote on my poll!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	24. Chapter 24: We're Not Over Yet

_**A/N: And, at last... the final chapter of Esme Morris and the Invisible Arrow! I feel as if I've come a long way with this story, since, well, it was my first HP fan-fiction! When I first wrote this I felt I could cry... but decided to start writing book two instead, which will be posted tomorrow!**_

_**And now, bearing in mind that I don't own Harry Potter, please enjoy...**_

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**We're Not Over Yet**

On the last day of term, Esme was on her way down to Herbology alone. As she went down the steps, she stopped in her tracks. She was once again in the garden she had found on her first day; the doors had vanished and the broken crown rested on the podium in the centre. She walked over to it, and reached out both hands as to take it from the podium; unlike last time, when she had felt the urge to abandon it, now she felt the need to take it. As her hands lifted the bronze off the stone, however, a blinding blue light made her topple over backwards; when it faded, the crown was no longer in her hands, but on her head. And then she gasped, for the robes she wore were not hers; they were dark blue, with bronze lining the cuffs. The long hair falling over her shoulders was not the usual blonde, but instead midnight-black; Esme snatched the crown off her head and stared into the bronze, to see that her face and eyes remained the same. She placed it back on her head.

"What in the world is going on?" she asked aloud.

"Ah, if we new that, Miss Morris, we'd all be rich," a voice called from behind her; Esme whirled around to see a man in wizard's robes watching her. He had a long silver beard and matching hair, and his blue eyes twinkled like stars. For some strange reason, she didn't feel frightened; more relieved. "But, indeed, I'd rather be poor. Start at the bottom and working your way to the top is the best way to claim success."

Esme didn't know quite what to say to this; all she could manage was, "Oh."

"Quite," the man said with a nod. "But that diadem you wear on your head, Miss Morris, will only show you your true self if you are not that already. It is very rare to see one like yourself, one who needs the diadem to show their full potential. That's why it is here; so no-one can claim it."

"Oh-kay," Esme said in confusion. "But sir, what has this got to do with me?"

"It has everything to do with you, Miss Morris. But perhaps today is not the time to take the diadem from the garden. Wait a while, and all will become clear." Esme nodded, and took the diadem off her head, placing it gently on the stone. There was no flash of light this time, but her robes were now her own and her hair was once more blonde. A bell rang; she turned to see the school stood before her. The door was open, and the silver-haired man was stood on the steps.

"Excuse me," Esme called, "If you don't mind me asking, who are you?" He smiled and winked at her.

"My name is not important right now; best save it for a rainy day." And with that, he disappeared through the doors. Esme ran after him, but the corridor was empty. Sighing in confusion, she turned to go back through the open doors, through which she could see the greenhouses, clear as day.

The next day, Esme was hugging her best friend goodbye from platform 9&3/4. "I'll miss you!" she cried. "Write to me, yeah?"

"Of course!" Grace agreed. "I'll miss you too, Esme. But we're not over yet, right? I'll see you next year."

Esme nodded, and the two parted. Esme made her way out of platform 9&3/4, mulling over Grace's words.

_No,_ she thought, _We're certainly not over yet._

**xXx**

_**A/N: ...And there you have it! All twenty-four chapters of Esme Morris and the Invisible Arrow (or EMatIA for short)! I must say, I've really enjoyed writing this story, and reading all your lovely reviews!**_

_**Please review, as tomorrow will come a new book, which I can reveal will be entitled... **_**Esme Morris and the TriWizard Tournament! ****_Like Esme and her friends? Like underestimated French girls? Like heights, carnivorous fluffballs and endless pits of doom? Like a healthy dose of Draco Malfoy? Well then make sure you read Esme's next book, because it includes all fo that stuff- and loads more!_**

**_Once again, don't forget to vote on my poll- actually, go do it now! _**

**_Signing off for the last time, _**

**_-Invisi_**


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